History Main / AttackDrone

* A non-lethal variant in ''Film/ShortCircuit 2''. As Johnny 5 is being brutally beaten by the thieves, he uses his antenna to hijack a kid's remote-control airplane and use it to chase away the thieves.

* ''VideoGame/{{Allegiance}}'' has an interesting aversion: There are drone AI ships under the direct control of the team's commander, but they ''cannot'' attack the enemy. All the ships that can actually fight are flown by human beings; the drone ships perform "boring" (but essential) duties like mining and must be defended by human players.

*** In late 2023 and continuing into 2024, Ukrainians have also used long range kamikaze drones to blow up Russian oil refineries in order to disturb the country's war economy, thanks to many areas of UsefulNotes/TheGloriousFederalSubjects lacking air defense. And they can reach quite deep into Russia at that.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'':

* Missiles and torpedoes are arguably an example, being small aerial or naval craft launched from a (usually) safe distance to approach a target and explode. Torpedoes in particular were originally ''stationary'' mines, which evolved to be dragged by a small boat, then later rigged to a spar on the front, before incorporating the engine into the weapon itself and allowing the sailors to launch it and let it sail off unattended. Missiles, meanwhile, were basically bombs rigged to rockets, allowing planes to attack targets without getting right on top of them. In aviation parlance, the distinction between a "missile" and a "drone" is not always clear, since some drones are little more than missiles or rockets that can be recovered.

*** In late 2023 and continuing into 2024, Ukrainians have also used Australian Sypaq long range kamikaze drones (which are made of ''cardboard'') to blow up Russian oil refineries in order to disturb the country's war economy, thanks to many areas of UsefulNotes/TheGloriousFederalSubjects lacking air defense. They can operate on quite long distances, up to 1000 kilometers.

*** Since about August-September 2022, Russians make massive use of drones from UsefulNotes/{{Iran}}, most notably the unexpensive loitering munition ("kamikaze") drone Shahed-136, for both attacks on Ukrainian infrastructures and terror attacks on the Ukrainian population in big cities. They also make ample use of their own ZALA Lancet (another type of loitering munition) to target Ukrainian war material on the battlefields.
*** Ukrainians have mastered the art of using unexpensive civilian drones to drop grenades on unsuspecting Russian soldiers.

* Your main power-up in the UsefulNotes/NeoGeo game ''VideoGame/LastResort'' is a drone that follows your ship, blocks enemy shots and damages enemies like the ''R-Type'' Force Pod, and shoots when you do. Instead of having a separate gun that charges up, you charge energy into the drone and launch it as a projectile, then it boomerangs back to you. Since you can toggle the drone's relative position to your ship, it can be launched in whatever direction you want.

* ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'' features these in realistic near-future roles. They are especially much employed by the Republic of Azania, a technologically advanced LadyLand that uses robotics, artillery, information technology and other force multipliers as much as possible to compensate for its inferior manpower base.

** From ''Armored Core 3'' to ''Armored Core: Last Raven'' the player could purchase a torso unit equipped with a "Exceed Orbit" function, where 1 or 2 weapon pods located on the back could detach and fire automatically at any enemies it saw (for some reason it could see through walls whereas the rounds fired could not penetrate said walls, sometimes leading to waste of ammo if one wasn't careful) they came in shell-based and energy-based projectile versions, with differing damage and rate-of-fire stats, while the shell-based ones had more shots, the energy-based ones could recharge themselves when deactivated.
** The "Orbit Cannons" are a back part that launches up to three laser cannon drones that follow their selected target. The only drawback is that one only has a finite supply of these drones on any given mission, and they're weak as heck, so if your target is protected by terrain, the bits will hit the walls and explode. They do have their own power supply and energy spent only involves launching them. Plus, since the lock-on acts like a missile lock-on, missile extensions work with them too. It is fairly effective in [=PvP=] as well, since as long as you engage them in wide open space, the bits follow your opponent wherever it goes and is fairly hard to shake unless you can outrun it or endure the withering attacks. A similar ArmCannon variant of it in ''Silent Line'' gives an option to launch 6 at once for MoreDakka.
** Previously in ''Another Age'', the Orbit weapons were actually introduced as an unlockable inside part. Unlike its future incarnations, it did not expend energy upon usage though it was otherwise stationary.

* ''VideoGame/BattleTech'': One story mission sees you attempting to infiltrate an old Star League base, only to accidentally trip an alarm and cause it to start deploying an infinite number of combat vehicle drones. The only way to stop them is to press forward fast enough to get into the base before you're overwhelmed.

** The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baykar_Bayraktar_TB2 Baykar "Bayraktar" TB2]], a Turkish-manufactured [=UCAV=], already been used in large numbers by Turkey during the Syrian Civil War and Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. But it made international waves in UsefulNotes/{{Ukraine}} around the start of the invasion of the country by by UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}; the [[UsefulNotes/UkrainiansWithDepletedUranium Ukrainian army]] had just received their orders from Baykar at the time the war broke out, and immediately the drones have proven their worth, serving in reconnaissance roles, ground attack and even ''naval attack'' roles (to the point of gaining instant MemeticBadass status and a [[https://youtu.be/XCYuq6bWTAo dedicated song]]). It's believed the drones played a crucial role in bringing down ''Moskva'', the flagship of the [[UsefulNotes/RussiansWithRustingRockets Russian Navy]]'s Black Sea Fleet; while the drones went out to [[WeNeedADistraction distract the flagship]] by circling it, forcing the ship's crew to focus on attempting to aim their AntiAir guns at them, a concealed shore emplacement near Odessa took aim at ''Moskva'' with their Neptune missiles, allowing for a direct hit that struck the ship's exposed missile tubes, completely hobbling it and leaving it doomed to sink while under tow several hours later.
** Since about August-September 2022, Russians make massive use of drones from UsefulNotes/{{Iran}}, most notably the unexpensive loitering munition ("kamikaze") drone Shahed-136, for both attacks on Ukrainian infrastructures and terror attacks on the Ukrainian population. They also make ample use of their own ZALA Lancet (another type of loitering munition) to target Ukrainian war material on the battlefields.

** The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baykar_Bayraktar_TB2 Baykar "Bayraktar" TB2]], a Turkish-manufactured [=UCAV=], made waves in UsefulNotes/{{Ukraine}} around the start of the invasion of the country by by UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}; the [[UsefulNotes/UkrainiansWithDepletedUranium Ukrainian army]] had just received their orders from Baykar at the time the war broke out, and immediately the drones have proven their worth, serving in reconnaissance roles, ground attack and even ''naval attack'' roles (to the point of gaining instant MemeticBadass status and a [[https://youtu.be/XCYuq6bWTAo dedicated song]]). It's believed the drones played a crucial role in bringing down ''Moskva'', the flagship of the [[UsefulNotes/RussiansWithRustingRockets Russian Navy]]'s Black Sea Fleet; while the drones went out to [[WeNeedADistraction distract the flagship]] by circling it, forcing the ship's crew to focus on attempting to aim their AntiAir guns at them, a concealed shore emplacement near Odessa took aim at ''Moskva'' with their Neptune missiles, allowing for a direct hit that struck the ship's exposed missile tubes, completely hobbling it and leaving it doomed to sink while under tow several hours later.

* The Sentinels from ''Film/TheMatrix'' may qualify, depending on just how smart they actually are.

** The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baykar_Bayraktar_TB2 Baykar "Bayraktar" TB2]], a Turkish-manufactured [=UCAV=], has been making waves in UsefulNotes/{{Ukraine}} after the nation was invaded by UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}; the [[UsefulNotes/UkrainiansWithDepletedUranium Ukrainian army]] had just received their orders from Baykar at the time the war broke out, and immediately the drones have proven their worth, serving in reconnaissance roles, ground attack and even ''naval attack'' roles (to the point of gaining instant MemeticBadass status and a [[https://youtu.be/XCYuq6bWTAo dedicated song]]). It's believed the drones played a crucial role in bringing down ''Moskva'', the flagship of the [[UsefulNotes/RussiansWithRustingRockets Russian Navy]]'s Black Sea Fleet; while the drones went out to [[WeNeedADistraction distract the flagship]] by circling it, forcing the ship's crew to focus on attempting to aim their AntiAir guns at them, a concealed shore emplacement near Odessa took aim at ''Moskva'' with their Neptune missiles, allowing for a direct hit that struck the ship's exposed missile tubes, completely hobbling it and leaving it doomed to sink while under tow several hours later.

*** The Gundam Aerial's control over the technology, [[PowerLevels indicated in-series by a "Permet Score" metric]], is ''far'' beyond any other suit, to the point of [[spoiler:disabling or ''hijacking'' other Gundam's drones]]. These abilities are all [[spoiler:because the OS for Aerial and its' drones [[PoweredByAForsakenChild are actually the brainwaves of Ericht Samaya and clones of herself]]. The Aerial is also notable for being the first initial lead Gundam in a TV series that is equipped with bit/funnel-type weaponry. Before that, these weapons are usually reserved for MidSeasonUpgrade or endgame units. The Aerial also retained the GUND-Bits upon being upgraded into its Rebuild version, but they can combine with its beam rifle a la 00 Qan[T]'s GN Buster Rifle.

* The Independence Army's invasion fleet in ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasDriftsInTheUniverse'' consists entirely of unmanned drones, which Doraemon and gang -- including their new friends, Lian and his Space Knights Troupe - blows up in entire droves, before Doraemon, Nobita and Lian (backed up by Gian, Suneo and Shizuka in their own ships) finds and destroy the antenna tower controlling the fleet. Given that Doraemon is a G-rated manga, this is probably intentional so the heroes can destroy plenty of enemies in an action-packed climax without any moral issues (with Gian boasting he's about to get his 100th kill before Suneo and Shizuka reminds him it's ''not'' a contest).

*** The ''Literature/MobileSuitGundamHathawaysFlash'' has the Ξ Gundam's Funnel Missiles that in addition to the abilities of the regular funnels, can explode upon impact with the enemy - hence the name.

* ''WesternAnimation/RatchetAndClank'': The Galactic Rangers face a legion of Mr. Zurkon robots as they attempt to investigate Drek's warbot factory on Quartu.

** In ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals'', most U.S. vehicles can deploy one of three types of drones for a minimal fee: sentry drones to increase sight range and detect hidden enemies, battle drones with anti-infantry weapons and the ability to repair their "parent" vehicle, and (with the expansion) Hellfire drones to shoot missiles at enemy vehicles. Unlike other examples, these drones can be destroyed by enemy fire, and even targeted directly - in fact, enemy base defenses will by default target these drones first, giving the parent vehicles time to tear through the turrets and gun emplacements relatively unmolested.

* Studio Nanafushi's ''Dead or School'' has drones as rare abilities. They are typed as Bullet (low damage but good attack rate with a decent ammo supply), Rocket (high damage with area of effect but low ammo supply and poor attack rate) and the extremely rare but most useful Laser (mediocre damage but very good attack rate and extremely large ammo supply). Hisako can hold two weapon attachments plus one weapon ability - meaning she can simultaneously have 3 drones out and attacking.

** The first true assault drone, i.e. multi-purpose (theoretically, at least) pilotless attack plane was developed by the USN during World War 2 under the "Project Opinion". Build by "Interstate" factory, the Interstate TDR-1 was a very cheap, wooden, twin-engine unmanned (or optionally piloted - it still had a cockpit and rudimentary controls) plane. It was guided towards a target by control plane (which used radar transponders to control up to four drones) and a drone-borne TV-camera for the bombing run. The drone was capable of carrying either a ton of bombs, or a torpedo. The initial plans of producing tens of thousands of such drones weren't fulfilled, but several dozen completed nachines were used - sometimes with remarkable sucsess - against Japanese-held islands in 1944.

*** The Gundam Aerial's control over the technology, [[PowerLevels indicated in-series by a "Permet Score" metric]], is ''far'' beyond any other suit, to the point of [[spoiler:disabling or ''hijacking'' other Gundam's drones]]. These abilities are all [[spoiler:because Aerial is PoweredByAForsakenChild]]. The Aerial is also notable for being the first initial lead Gundam in a TV series that is equipped with bit/funnel-type weaponry. Before that, these weapons are usually reserved for MidSeasonUpgrade or endgame units. The Aerial also retained the GUND-Bits upon being upgraded into its Rebuild version, but they can combine with its beam rifle a la 00 Qan[T]'s GN Buster Rifle.

* Missiles and torpedoes are arguably an example, being small aerial or naval craft launched from a (usually) safe distance to approach a target and explode. Torpedoes in particular were originally ''stationary'' mines, which evolved to be dragged by a small boat, then later rigged to a spar on the front, before incorporating the engine into the weapon itself and allowing the sailors to launch it and let it sail off unattended. Missiles, meanwhile, were basically bombs rigged to rockets, allowing planes to attack targets without getting right on top of them.

** Since about August-September 2022, Russians make massive use of drones from UsefulNotes/{{Iran}}, most notably the unexpensive loitering munition ("kamikaze") drone Shahed-136, mainly targeting Ukrainian infrastructures with them. They also make ample use of their own ZALA Lancet (another type of loitering munition) to target Ukrainian battlefield assets.

* ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries''. A favorite tactic of the title character is to hack the enemy's drones (or just used its own surveillance drones) and send them to swarm the enemy [[WeNeedADistraction as a distraction]] just before Murderbot launches its attack. This usually involves ramming unless they're armed combat drones.

* Creator/RobertSheckley's short story "[=Watchbird=]" is an early examination of this trope.