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Originally Posted by Spartan-117
So in summary, I think military UAV platforms are the only viable system for real-time intel in the 2000 timeline. Home-made UAVs will be hampered by the inability to transmit video in real time, and so could be useful for strategic (that cantonment is planting corn this year), but not tactical intelligence (here come 2 Gun Trucks!).
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You've missed out entirely on analog video. CCTV cameras and compact 8mm camcorders have been around for a long time, and were readily available before TDM. A CCTV camera plugged into an RF modulator that's plugged into an amplifier would make for a pretty serviceable real-time video transmitter. It's literally all stuff you could source from a Radio Shack (you'd need to scratch build the amp). That all would also all fit in an MQ-2 or larger sized scratch built drone.
While you're still going to need a control station with LOS to the drone, you've still got a good tactical advantage with the high ground. Even if your drone's only got a few miles range that's still more intelligence than the opposition has on you.