>>I've often thought that despite the fun we're currently having with aerial drones, a lot of the real drone future is going to be with autonomous ground drones, because of their ability to carry more armor, shielding, etc., without having to literally carry it into the air.

While I agree with the idea that there will be more fun ahead with ground-based drones, wouldn't an air-dominance doctrine still hold in drone-drone warfare as it exists today in conventional wars?

I imagine both ground and air drone warfare evolving at similarly terrifying rates over our lifetimes.