What’s the difference between a Tomahawk cruise missile and a drone?
Tomahawk is already (2015) available with reconnaissance camera and loiter mode.
Is the distinction that drone can return to base, or otherwise land and be reused?
Tomahawk is already (2015) available with reconnaissance camera and loiter mode.
Is the distinction that drone can return to base, or otherwise land and be reused?
With human pilots, there is a bright line separating aircraft and missiles (although even that line wasn't completely firm - see Kamikazi attacks). Taking the pilot out of the equation, that line dissolves into a gradient.
> Is the distinction that drone can return to base, or otherwise land and be reused?
That's probably the most useful distinction.
Further, the drone may not necessarily used for combat, it could be used as a decoy.
I suspect 'drone' is a catch all term for things that don't have more specific names.