Just by looking at the news, you can see how effective drone strikes like the Predator and Reaper have been, but it's clear that major military forces are very interested in applying similar technology in tighter combat situations. That brings us to the TIKAD, a new drone developed by military contractor Duke Robotics. Basically, it's an octocopter that can be equipped with high-powered rifles, machine guns, and even grenade launchers.
Back in July 2015, YouTube user Hogwit posted a fifteen-second video showing a modified drone firing a semi-automatic weapon. That triggered federal intervention and a subsequent investigation on even more serious charges, but the idea never fully went away: drones equipped with firearms. The MQ-9 Reaper carries up to four Hellfire missiles, and you don't have to look far to understand what they can do. However, missiles aren't viable for escorting troops or eliminating enemies with greater precision. Duke Robotics says it has the exact solution to fill that gap, and it's called TIKAD.
The TIKAD in Detail
Before continuing, we should make clear that this isn't a concept. Several prototypes have already been delivered to the Israel Defense Forces, and the next step is none other than offering them to the Pentagon. The TIKAD comes as a response to a previous model used by Israeli special forces, which, while it fulfilled its mission, only managed to stay airborne for five minutes due to weight problems (the drone lifted a 13.6-kilogram rifle). In the TIKAD we find eight motors, and a platform that, besides being compatible with a wide number of weapons, can also minimize recoil.
A Changing Battlefield
We are living in an extremely painful and delicate moment. Terrorist forces like ISIS have used drones in previous attacks, turning them into flying bombs. Israel already deployed its IAI Harop in April 2016, and available information suggests the United States has more than 4,000 Switchblade kamikaze mini-drones. Now, a TIKAD equipped with a sniper rifle changes combat parameters completely, and it's very likely we'll see an increase in the adoption of semi-autonomous weapons. Experts agree it won't be long before the TIKAD is copied...
