In 1944 Germany launched the V-1 "Buzzbomb" against England—the first practical use of what we now call armed drones. In the 73 years since, UAVs have evolved from surveillance tools to full-fledged battlefield weapons. By 2011, the U.S. Air Force was training more pilots for advanced UAVs than for any other weapons system, and there's been a steady stream of sensor testing to make drones better and better.
There's only one problem: How can you test sensors on an aircraft with no cockpit? Much like the military drone's own origins, the answer comes from World War II.
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