The use of UAVs in defense and security applications has increased significantly in recent years. Traditional applications for UAV systems include Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, communication relaying and target acquisition. Emerging uses include medical re-supply, border patrol, maritime, security, crowd control, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring.

VTOL UAVs have advantages over fixed-wing UAVs in that they require no runway for takeoff or landing, can hover, and can maneuver in three dimensions. The primary downside to VTOL UAVs is that they have a significantly smaller payload-range than similar-sized fixed-wing UAVs.

Teaming of UAVs and UGVs will also allow for cooperative tasking of UAVs and UGVs to perform complex tasks such as mine clearing. In such an arrangement, the effectiveness of the system is increased by utilizing the strengths of UAVs (fast transit, overhead view, long communications range, ability to travel over poor terrain) and UGVs (large payload, large power supply, long range).
Automatically replenishment of UAVs will also reduce the number of personnel required to remain close to the UAV to service it, which will both reduce costs and keep personnel out of harms way.