Gallia- wrote:Arkandros wrote:True, but drone pilots are officers and get officer pay (at least in the USAF, I don't know about other branches), which is a $1300/month difference between E1 and O1.
@Allanea:
Drones would require electronics techs, electricians, and mechanics for maintenance, probably roughly equivalent to doctors and chefs. Granted, you don't need combat pay, but a number of reports indicate that psychologists will still be needed. (All of these reference a 2011 report by USAF psychologists, but I have been unable to locate the original document online.)
A human aircraft requires electronics techs, electricians, and mechanics too.
You need more of them for a human piloted aircraft or anything.
To suggest that drones are more expensive than human anything is a bit silly. It flies in the face of historical cost trends of automation.
I agree. That's what I was trying to say initially, that human infantrymen are cheaper than combat drones designed to replace infantrymen.