{"id":17250,"date":"2025-02-06T09:48:19","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T14:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/?p=17250"},"modified":"2025-02-06T09:48:20","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T14:48:20","slug":"brooklyn-born-computer-scientist-and-co-creator-of-early-drones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/eternal-brooklyn-born-computer-scientist-and-co-creator-of-early-drones","title":{"rendered":"Brooklyn-Born Computer Scientist and Co-Creator of Early Drones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Brooklyn-born computer scientist, systems engineer, and innovator, Neal Gilbert Siegel is known for his groundbreaking work in military technology. His contributions include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the U.S. Army<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Blue-Force tracking system<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advanced military automotive systems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>U.S. Army forward-area air defense systems<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many of Siegel\u2019s military innovations later found their way into civilian applications, including GPS-enabled mobile devices and smartphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Learn more about his legacy on<a href=\"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/\"> i-brooklyn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a37a4571f96b\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a37a4571f96b\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/eternal-brooklyn-born-computer-scientist-and-co-creator-of-early-drones\/#Early_Life_and_Education\" >Early Life and Education<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/eternal-brooklyn-born-computer-scientist-and-co-creator-of-early-drones\/#Career_at_TRW_and_Northrop_Grumman\" >Career at TRW and Northrop Grumman<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/eternal-brooklyn-born-computer-scientist-and-co-creator-of-early-drones\/#Contributions_to_the_US_Military\" >Contributions to the U.S. Military<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/eternal-brooklyn-born-computer-scientist-and-co-creator-of-early-drones\/#Development_of_the_First_US_Army_Drone\" >Development of the First U.S. Army Drone<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/eternal-brooklyn-born-computer-scientist-and-co-creator-of-early-drones\/#Retirement_and_Legacy\" >Retirement and Legacy<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Early_Life_and_Education\"><\/span>Early Life and Education<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1103\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123035\/1-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17251\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123035\/1-7.jpg 1103w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123035\/1-7-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123035\/1-7-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123035\/1-7-696x365.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1103px) 100vw, 1103px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neal Gilbert Siegel was born in February 1954 in Brooklyn, New York, to Bernard Siegel and Judith Love Cohen. He spent most of his life in Southern California, where he grew up with his siblings, Howard and Rachel, and his half-brother, actor Jack Black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Siegel pursued a degree in mathematics at the University of Southern California (USC). Before launching his career in engineering, he worked as a professional musician, playing the flute and performing folk music from the Balkans and the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Later, he earned his PhD in Computer Science, studying under the renowned computer scientist Barry Boehm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Career_at_TRW_and_Northrop_Grumman\"><\/span>Career at TRW and Northrop Grumman<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1067\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123033\/2-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17254\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123033\/2-7.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123033\/2-7-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123033\/2-7-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123033\/2-7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123033\/2-7-696x464.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1976, Siegel joined TRW, a major aerospace and defense contractor. (In 2002, TRW was acquired by Northrop Grumman.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By 1993, Siegel led a division within TRW, responsible for developing cutting-edge automation systems for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The U.S. Army<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The U.S. Air Force<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The steel industry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The film industry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His focus was on creating automated decision-support systems for complex, high-pressure environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Contributions_to_the_US_Military\"><\/span>Contributions to the U.S. Military<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"593\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123032\/3-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17257\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123032\/3-5.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123032\/3-5-300x222.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123032\/3-5-768x569.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.i-brooklyn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2025\/02\/17123032\/3-5-696x516.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Siegel\u2019s team played a key role in modernizing the U.S. Army\u2019s battlefield capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Breakthrough Military Technologies<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1993 \u2013 His team deployed the Army\u2019s first fully automated command and control system, which remains in use today.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1995 \u2013 He led the development of Force XXI Battle Command Brigade, the first \u201cdigital battlefield\u201d system for the U.S. Army. This project significantly enhanced real-time military decision-making.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1995 \u2013 His team introduced the first automated command post for the U.S. Army, setting new standards for tactical command operations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Development_of_the_First_US_Army_Drone\"><\/span>Development of the First U.S. Army Drone<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By 1997, Siegel was tasked with reviving the struggling Hunter UAV program, which had experienced multiple failures and was on the verge of cancellation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His leadership transformed Hunter into one of the most reliable UAVs in the U.S. military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1999 \u2013 Hunter drones were deployed in the Balkans, marking a milestone in UAV warfare.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2015 \u2013 UAVs had become an essential part of modern military and civilian applications, demonstrating Siegel\u2019s long-term impact on drone technology.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Retirement_and_Legacy\"><\/span>Retirement and Legacy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After 18 years as Vice President and Chief Engineer at Northrop Grumman, Siegel retired in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His legacy includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The widespread deployment of GPS-enabled tracking systems, such as Blue-Force Tracking, which enhances battlefield situational awareness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New software development methodologies, improving large-scale engineering projects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neal Gilbert Siegel\u2019s work bridged military and civilian technology, ensuring his innovations continue to shape modern computing, navigation, and defense systems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Brooklyn-born computer scientist, systems engineer, and innovator, Neal Gilbert Siegel is known for his groundbreaking work in military technology. His contributions include: Many of Siegel\u2019s military innovations later found their way into civilian applications, including GPS-enabled mobile devices and smartphones. Learn more about his legacy on i-brooklyn. Early Life and Education Neal Gilbert Siegel [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":537,"featured_media":17260,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4819],"tags":[6376,6387,6377,6379,6380,6375,6385,6382,6383,6388,6378,6384,6389,6381,6386],"moimportance":[32,35],"motype":[4825],"moformat":[88],"class_list":["post-17250","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-innovator","tag-army-command-systems","tag-blue-force-tracking","tag-brooklyn-born-scientist","tag-computer-scientist-biography","tag-digital-battlefield","tag-early-military-drones","tag-gps-military-applications","tag-hunter-uav-program","tag-military-gps-technology","tag-modern-military-automation","tag-neal-siegel","tag-northrop-grumman-defense","tag-tactical-decision-support-systems","tag-trw-aerospace","tag-uav-history","moimportance-golovna-novyna","moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","motype-eternal","moformat-copywriting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17250","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/537"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17250"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17250\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17263,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17250\/revisions\/17263"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17250"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17250"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17250"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=17250"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=17250"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-brooklyn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=17250"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}