Military drones now range from inexpensive first-person-view aircraft built largely from commercial components to highly specialized long-endurance and underwater systems. A new Nanowerk Learning Hub article examines where nanotechnology is actually beginning to matter across that spectrum.
The strongest evidence is in batteries, sensors and coatings. Carbon nanotube additives and nanoengineered silicon-carbon anodes are already moving through commercial battery supply chains, while silicon-nanowire and lithium-sulfur cells are being developed specifically for demanding unmanned-aircraft and underwater missions. Quantum-dot short-wave infrared detectors could also reduce the cost of advanced imaging, although established InGaAs sensors still offer performance advantages.
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