Comparing the Cost-Effectiveness of Expendable Versus Reusable Small Air Vehicles

RAND Corporation researchers reviewed the comparative cost-effectiveness of reusable and expendable platforms for small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The findings show that, in many cases, current technology makes reusable platforms relatively inexpensive. This suggests that small, reusable UAVs may be attractive as decoys; jammers; and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms.