Yesterday's Air Force: RPAs Published July 5, 2017 By Airman 1st Class Jasmine Vanderheyden Air Force TV FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- This episode of Yesterday's Air Force looks at the history of Remotely Piloted Aircraft. RPAs are not a new war-fighting technology, in fact their development goes back to the early 20th century. Roger Connor with the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum takes us through their evolution. Yesterday's Air Force is a history and heritage featurette series profiling significant people and missions from the Air Force's past.