Researchers Create a Robotic Stunt Pilot

Feb. 8 -- In Afghanistan, unmanned drones have proven crucial to the U.S. war on terror and military researchers want to make them even smarter.

"We want to have intelligent vehicles that can respond to real-time threats and make decisions on the fly," says Allen Moshfegh, program officer at the Office of Naval Research (ONR). In essence: To give pilot-less flying drones, human-like smarts.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), such as the Predator and Global Hawk drones so far have completed risky missions without endangering the lives of American pilots. But not all of the drones have returned home.

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Three Predator UAVs were lost last year — apparently shot down while on reconnaissance missions over the "no-fly" zones of Iraq. And while no Predators have been shot down in Afghanistan, chances are likely to increase as these drones begin to take on more hazardous assignments such as striking terrorist targets.