The influence of WWI on modern aviation is impossible to overstate. It planted the seeds for today’s entire aerospace industry. Concepts like aerial reconnaissance, air superiority, fighter squadrons, and strategic bombing all came from that era. Modern fighter jets, drones, and satellite-guided missiles owe their roots to the wood-and-fabric biplanes of 1914–1918.
Militarily, every major country now treats air power as a top priority. Jet fighters patrol the skies, stealth bombers reach global targets in hours, and unmanned drones gather intelligence and strike with precision. All of this evolved from the desperate experimentation of WWI engineers and pilots.
Even commercial flight has deep WWI connections. Many early commercial airlines were founded by ex-military pilots flying repurposed planes. The culture of flight—once dangerous and experimental—is now routine and essential. From space exploration to humanitarian airlifts, the world today is shaped by the lessons learned during the war that first took to the skies.