An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA), sometimes called a drone, is a type of aircraft used in operations where it would be inconvenient or dangerous for a live pilot. The UAV may be piloted remotely, or it may operate semi-autonomously. Larger and more complex UAVs are often used by governmental and military organizations while smaller UAVs have recently become accessible to the public. Non-governmental organizations may access many varieties of UAV depending on the resources of said corporation.
The use of UAVs has become prominent enough to affect the developing history of de-extinction, particularly where InGen Security is concerned. Below are several uses of UAVs as well as notable examples of specific UAVs that are relevant to InGen and its operations.
Uses and Relevant Examples
Military and governmental use
One of the most prominent uses of UAVs is in military organizations around the world. Among the more famous military UAVs is the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator, a drone which entered service in 1995 and was utilized by the United States Air Force and Central Intelligence Agency. Predators were heavily used in American military intervention in the Middle East and played a major role in the increasing use of lethal drone strikes in military operation. The U.S. Air Force retired the Predator in 2018, and it has been succeeded by newer types of UAVs. The success of the Predator drone was one of the inspirations behind Project Ares in L/M canon, with former American security contractor Vic Hoskins suggesting the use of actual predator animals in a similar fashion in warfare.
While UAVs are still popularly used in the American military as well as the armed forces of other nations, some doubt their effectiveness. Critics cite the military drone as a step forward in the dehumanization of warfare, since by distancing themselves from the victims of drone strikes, military personnel are more likely to choose to make the kill. Some criticism comes from within the military itself. Vic Hoskins raised concerns in 2015 that, in the event of a total war scenario, the use of advanced anti-drone technology would render military UAVs useless. He also proposed that enemy combatants could hack military drones and reverse engineer sensitive technology used by the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as discussing some of the weaknesses of drones such as their inability to function well underground. This was one of his reasons behind supporting the I.B.R.I.S. Project with InGen Security, as he believed that developing better military animals would be a preferable alternative to expanding the use of drones and other robotic technology.
Drones have been used for surveillance as well as military operations by countries around the world, with the United States being among the most prominent. The United States and other G20 countries were among the customers of Masrani Global Corporation‘s InGen Security division, which developed drone technology for military and surveillance use.
In L/M canon, the relationship between InGen and the U.S. government is expanded upon, in which Hoskins was collaborating with a clandestine American governmental organization known only as the Coalition. This organization consists of unknown military and other governmental personnel who frequently utilize drone technology in order to remain out of the public eye. While they used UAVs to deliver supplies to Isla Nublar in the summer of 2015 without Jurassic World staff noticing, they have actually used UAVs in the area for many years. Remains of a crashed UAV confirmed to belong to the Coalition were discovered in an undeveloped area of Isla Nublar, found to be around a decade old. Simon Masrani was unaware of the drone’s existence, though Hoskins had some background knowledge on it. This drone was not of any standard model, but was instead designed to resemble a commercial passenger jet in order to avoid suspicion. It was used to move InGen technology and other supplies to and from the island.
Corporate and NGO use
Along with selling drone technology to the U.S. government and other customers, companies such as InGen use drones for their own business. In recent times, smaller drones have been used for package delivery and corporate security. InGen in particular has become one of the world’s leading developers in security technology including drones, despite the now-deceased Head of Security Vic Hoskins opposing reliance on drone use in the U.S. military.
Development of InGen drones is often carried out with the help of Aerospace Dynamix, a Paris-based Masrani Global subsidiary which has developed UAV technology since 2007. The company has provided Mascom Network and InGen Security with state-of-the-art UAVs since its foundation, and most recently has provided CT-model drones to G20 countries. Aerospace Dynamix’s CEO Louis Mercier openly stated in 2015 that ground soldiers are becoming increasingly replaced by robotic technology such as drones. Masrani Global has utilized drones since before Aerospace Dynamix (since at least 2004), particularly while Jurassic World was operational; here it used drones to monitor its dinosaurs with minimal interference. The game Jurassic World: Evolution 2 features quadcopter drones which are sent into the Aviary for maintenance and veterinary services, suggesting that this is one possible solution to the problem of caring for the park’s flying animals.
Remotely-operated drones have also been used by Mantah Corporation, a rival company to Masrani Global and to InGen. In 2015, a quadcopter drone with USB port was flown to Isla Nublar as a part of a plot to steal data from the private computer of Dr. Henry Wu, an operation which was successful thanks to the presence of corporate spies on the island. Another drone later retrieved a physical DNA sample belonging to a female Sinoceratops. Had the 2015 incident not ended Jurassic World’s operations, Mantah drones would have continued to transit to and from the island to steal trade secrets with the help of insiders. At least one more drone did approach the island in June 2016 to record and identify specimens. It was equipped with an advanced camera system for identifying animals. During this reconnaissance mission it was intercepted and destroyed by E750 shortly after locking onto its signature. Other drones were extensively used to control asset movements at Mantah’s offsite testing facility, where administrator Kash Langford was overseeing the creation of an entertainment venue in which dinosaurs would be pitted against each other in combat. The drones were used to create invisible barriers that the dinosaurs could not cross; by electrocuting them via their tracking implants whenever they tried to breach a perimeter, Langford’s drones could stop them from leaving their zones without need for physical walls. However, this was not perfect; the drones could not safely fly too close to trees or buildings, leaving small gaps in coverage. Two of his Velociraptors learned to identify and exploit these weak points. Mantah Corp has also historically made use of larger drones capable of carrying personnel, designed after seaplanes.
Nonprofit organizations are less likely to use drones due to the cost involved, but the Dinosaur Protection Group (in L/M canon only) has sufficient funding to provide all of its members with a small battery-powered quadcopter drone which is used to collect the DNA of de-extinct animals for research. There are three styles of drones: the Classic style, which is standard and was the first to be developed; the Veteran style, which is more sensitive and thus better suited to experienced operators; and the Rookie style, which is slower-moving and typically recommended for beginners. All styles are equipped with tracking technology such as infrared sensing and a computer-assisted targeting system which pinpoints ideal spots for syringe dart insertion.
Personal use
As drone technology becomes more accessible, nongovernmental citizens are now able to purchase and use their own UAVs. These are generally smaller devices than those available to governments or major companies, and are typically used for aerial photography and localized exploration. For example, Franklin Webb has stated that his cousin owns a drone (he implies that it is of decent size, though claiming it is larger than a small airplane is likely an exaggeration).
