The aim of this paper is the analysis of the contemporary state of implementation of artificial intelligence in the area of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and a proposal of further use of artificial intelligence systems in this area in the future. We analyse three essential areas in which artificial intelligence systems are currently being implemented to some extend – path following, object detection and tracking, and anti—collision systems. In each mentioned area we apply different solution methods, technical requirements, but also advantages and disadvantages of those solutions. We present an overview of artificial intelligence as a scientific branch. Finally, we present an overview of how artificial intelligence in the field of UAV could be implemented in the future, based on an analysis of the current state and direction of research and development in the present. We describe the possibilities of use artificial intelligence systems in two areas that are currently receiving the most attention at concept level, namely the flight of autonomous UAV swarms and the improvement of communication and data exchange between individual UAVs using artificial intelligence.