How feasible would it be to build and field a tv/radio guided drone against aerial targets without modern technology?
I have a constantly moving floating island that is looking to augment its air force against numerous threats in the sky. Having long run out of resources that don't grow out of crystals or biomaterial on the island, the majority of its resources come from attacking and excavating other islands. Islands which may have native hostile life or intelligent life.
At times multiple islands may be fighting each other or over the same piece of unclaimed land, so control over the skies around the island is critical. The air force operates a range of aircraft. One of which acts like a fleet defense aircraft. Only it defends the island, hurling long range missiles in beyond visual range combat. It combines a powerful radar, high fuel load, and decent computerized technology (pre 2000s military tech). However, due to limited resources and scales of industry they are unable to field many of these platforms. Furthermore, it takes a lot longer to re arm and refuel (does not use normal jet fuel). The large distances involved compound the situation.
In offensive actions it acts as a long-range missile platform, however once it expends its ammunition it cannot contribute any offensive action short of EW. To offset this lack of combat capability, drones carrying a load of missiles have been developed. Essentially missile trucks. Once a fighter expends its ammunition, they circle a drone carrier, link with a drone and fly off with one. Essentially a soft reload of sorts.
While their exists automation on the island, there is no artificial learning, machine learning or deep learning. They are unable to make transistors at such a small level with the necessary computer science to enable truly autonomous aircraft control that is combat rated. As such the drone is only capable of basic auto pilot and preprogrammed holding patterns. Some even use electromechanical computers. 46
More advanced maneuvers require the use of a human operator who is in a parent fighter aircraft who establishes a link to the drone.
The human operator is essentially a back seater/weapons system officer (WSO) w/ a slightly extended suite. Using a combination of TV and radio guidance, the WSO flies the drone manually from their aircraft. The fighter's onboard radar handles targeting information for the drone. Once a target is locked on, the WSO executes a fire command, from which the drone will fire a missile. The missiles that can be fired include both active and semi active missiles. During such operations, the fighter won't be pulling any aggressive maneuvers except for defensive actions. It'll stay at distance firing away with missiles, aiding older generation fighters. After firing its magazine, the WSO will fly the drone back to an airship and land it while the fighter circles in a holding pattern.
How feasible would it be to build and field such a drone that utilizes TV and radio command guidance against air targets without access to modern technology
Assume technology (military and industrial) is capped to pre 2000s, there is no contemporary AI control or advanced flight mapping technologies that you'd expect to see on either Loyal Wingman or FCAS' drones. All flight maneuvers short of a pre-planned takeoff or basic holding pattern will be done by a human operator over wireless.
Notes:
1. Total fuel load of parent fighter aircraft is of no concern
2. The drone mounts a forward-facing camera and a few sensors across the aircraft. The WSO gets a HUD and relevant data superimposed onto the view they receive from the drone. Their station is equipped to handle these drones.
3. WSO/back seater is pilot trained and qualified to fly these drones
4. The targets these drones will be firing at will range from anything involving primitive aircraft to 5th gen aircraft platforms. While the island in question may not be able to build high transistor density chips, that doesn't mean other islands cannot. There are enough flying based organisms that pose a threat to warrant this aircraft to be sortied against them as well.
5. Size can vary between something as small as a jet powered drone or as big as an F16. 160