Thank you for the question on the visions of Daniel, “When the Biblical prophet Daniel saw the future, was he attempting to describe modern day vehicles or airplanes?”
The visions that the Daniel received focuses on central figures and their actions in the future, not on the design of their times. Is it possible that he saw futuristic technology? It is possible. As one reads the Book of Revelation, John gives a more detail event of judgments on earth. He saw the nations coming together to do battle as in the Battle of Armagedón. His focus was on the central figures, not on the wr machines.
A more interesting insight is in Matthew 4 when the devil show Jesus all the glory of the kingdoms. The text says this, “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.”
Did the Devil show him the glory of Rome, the Greek and Egyptian culture? Did he show him the kingdoms and the splendor beyond the first century? It is within the realm of possibility that the Devil showed Jesus the splendor of the ages? I would like to think so as snapshots of the world.
Summary: The focus of Daniel is not on the splendor of the rulers but upon the impact the rulers and their actions had on Israel.
-Kingston