Swarm drone technology has attracted the attention of militaries across the world due to its unique advantages.

Verdict has conducted a poll to assess the deployment or initial operating capability (IOC) timelines of swarm drone technology in the global armed forces.

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Analysis of the poll results shows that a majority 59% of the respondents expect the technology will be deployed by militaries across the globe within the next five years, while 28% expect it to take between five and ten years.

Further, 7% of the respondents opined that it could take more than 15 years, while 6% voted that it would take from 11 to 15 years.

IOC Timelines for swarm drone technology

The analysis is based on 219 responses received from the readers of Airforce Technology, Army Technology and Naval Technology, Verdict’s defence sites, between 08 March and 26 April 2021.

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Swarm drone technologies

Investment in swarm drone technology has risen considerably over the last few years due to the advantages offered such as minimising the training time for soldiers, boosting the survivability of military equipment, and improving operational efficiency. The technology can revolutionise how future conflicts are dealt with and can also be used in search-and-rescue missions.

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), for example, has been working on a programme to develop micro-drones shaped in the form of missiles that can be deployed from aircraft to perform reconnaissance operations. The US is also testing interconnecting drones, which can collaborate to annihilate enemies.

Further, the UK recently conducted the biggest evaluation of a military-specific uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) swarm in the country comprising 20 different drones. The armed forces of Russia, Spain, France, Turkey, UAE, and Armenia have also announced their plans to develop drone swarms.

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