The problem with missiles, depending on who you ask, is that you fire them and they have to hit something. It would be nice, from a military perspective, if missiles could just hang around for a bit, maybe wait for a target to show up, and then drop screaming out of the sky to destroy everything. So, an Israeli military contractor built one. Meet the Harop drone.
The Harop is basically a kamikazi robot. It’s launched in the air like a missile and can be used that way. But if the human steering decides to call off the attack, it becomes a drone, or more accurately a “loitering munition.” But unlike the guys loitering outside the convenience store down the block, the Harop is waiting for a target to show up, for up to six hours. Once it does, it drops straight out of the sky and blows it to pieces.
They’re even talking about giving it landing gear, so if the target doesn’t show up, or if somebody realizes explosive death from above awaits them, they can just park it and wait another day. Just, hopefully, somebody’s secured the communications on these things. Kamikazi robots are not something you want hackers, or SkyNet, taking over.
(Via PopSci)