However, the increasing deployment of radar and air defense systems has necessitated the development of stealth capabilities in UAVs. Stealth drones are specifically engineered to operate in contested environments by reducing their detectability across multiple sensing domains, including radar, infrared (IR), acoustic, and visual detection systems.
The concept of stealth is not new; it has been widely applied in manned aircraft such as the F-117 Nighthawk and B-2 Spirit. However, integrating stealth features into UAVs presents unique challenges due to size, payload constraints, and operational requirements.
This paper aims to provide a detailed review of stealth drone technologies, covering fundamental principles, design methodologies, materials, and emerging innovations.
