US military develops pilotless helicopter

Economist : Designed to deliver supplies to troops in war zones, two unmanned helicopters, equipped with GPS and a number of sensors, have already flown several successful experimental missions to US marine outposts in Afghanistan. The helicopters can be flown remotely, or they can fly along a programmed course. When the helicopter arrives at its destination, a person on the ground can direct the drop of its load, which is suspended on a 25-m cable, or the drop can be programmed in. Unmanned helicopters have many advantages over those piloted by humans: They can fly over longer periods of time; during periods of reduced visibility, such as at night or during a dust storm; and to extremely remote locations. Besides the military, the unmanned craft could find such civilian uses as power-line construction, firefighting, and search and rescue.