A number of innovations across both military and civilian aerospace projects led to major changes to aircraft design, and operation, near the end of the 20th century. Composites have grown to account for ever larger shares of new airplanes, reducing weight, and increasing their structural strength. While not redefining the design of new aircraft, composites have allowed designers to refine and improve on proven design philosophies. Thanks to these new advancements, modern airliners can boast of higher safety through more robust construction and better fuel efficiency by reducing down weight. In military circles, composites have enabled the construction of aircraft more resistant to harsh forces, and allow for weight reduction, making newer fighters more robust and maneuverable than those which came before.

Easily the most influential military development has been that of the stealth aircraft. Since the introduction of the first specialized, radar evading, strike aircraft of the 1980’s, most new fighter designs have incorporated radar and infra-red reducing features to some extent. Many of the most modern designs feature highly sophisticated, radar reducing forms which are combined with radar absorbing coatings that make them exceptionally difficult to detect by conventional means.

 Though it’s not only the composition of aircraft that’s changed, as the proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles has led to a generation of drones for all number of uses. The commercial uses of drones range from photography, to mapping, and research services. In military service their uses are just as varied, with the incredible benefit of forces being able to deploy aircraft on a variety of dangerous missions without having to risk the lives pilots.