Loitering munitions are a type of UAV designed to loiter around an AO until a target is spotted and designated, allowing faster response than systems that must launch and transit after target acquisition.
They are distinct from other UAS in several ways. Conventional UAVs such as the MQ-9 Reaper are aircraft that deploy munitions, whereas loitering munitions are themselves the weapon. Unlike FPV kamikaze drones which are piloted directly, loitering munitions are generally more independent and guide themselves onto a designated target. They are also not recoverable once launched, making them a single-use strike asset.
Loitering munitions are most useful as a rapid response capability against HVTs or targets of opportunity, where speed and precision are more important than persistence or recovery.
