Prepare for "swarms" of unmanned drones able to choose their own targets

Air Force photo / Lt Col Leslie Pratt An MQ-1 Predator drone

Drones will eventually be equipped with stronger chemical weapons and able to make their own decisions, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Defense.

In a 25-year roadmap for unmanned vehicles, the DoD revealed it hopes to increase drone capabilities in order to save money and better protect the nation’s skies. Currently, drones require extensive manpower on the ground in order to fly and follow precise commands. But in order to cut down on the expense of pilots, the DoD plans to build autonomous drones able to deviate from given missions to pursue a better target, by following a certain set of “laws” delineated by algorithms and advanced sensors.

Drones will also be able to hunt in “swarms” launched from an unmanned “mothership.” These so-called kamikaze drones will be programmed to crash into targets.

Other drones will be equipped with even more deadly chemical weapons.