Small drones perform small tasks in Clarke's account of future naval aviation. He expects an uncrewed aircraft required to do an F-35's work to be closer to an F-35 in size, with corresponding demands on the ship carrying it. This is part of his argument for a continuing need for organic aviation at sea, and he explicitly identifies the assumptions behind that prediction. Familiar pressure to replace old consumer products can obscure how a long-established warship type changes through new designs and aircraft.
Notable Point · 1:27:22-1:28:35
Uncrewed aircraft size still depends on the mission
An uncrewed aircraft's mission determines the size of the aircraft and the ship needed to operate it in this forecast of future naval aviation.