Unmanned vehicles while becoming smaller and smarter are addressing new applications in medical, agriculture, in addition to military and security

Purpose – Review of the most recent unmanned vehicle show in Washington DC with emphasis on the new robot innovations and applications on display. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In-depth interviews with exhibitors of unmanned vehicles and suppliers of other related equipment and support services. Findings – Unmanned vehicles are moving rapidly into new applications such as agriculture, environmental monitoring and medical along with maintaining their importance in the traditional military and security applications of the past. Practical implications – Customers will be surprised at the innovations making these robotic vehicles smaller, smarter and more adaptable to a wide range of new applications. Originality/value – A review of some of the latest innovations and applications for unmanned vehicles that one might have seen if they had been on the exhibition floor at the most recent Washington DC unmanned vehicle show.