The little cousin of the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper is making a big splash in Afghanistan as the RQ-11B Raven program takes flight.
The Raven is a small unmanned aerial vehicle used to conduct visual reconnaissance up to ten kilometers away, said Staff Sgt. Daniel Garcia of the Force Protection Aerial Surveillance System Flight here.
The Raven itself is very small, a little more than four pounds, but packs a big punch in the area of surveillance. It can fly at a height of 10,000 feet above sea-level and remotely sends live footage back to the operator, where it is recorded for later evaluation.
"The Raven can fly in several different patterns," said Sergeant Garcia. "It can fly in a predetermined pattern, circle an area or be controlled remotely by an operator."
The Raven doesn't have landing gear but is designed to break apart on impact to prevent damage to the structure of the UAV itself and can be reassembled in minutes.
The camera provides high-resolution imagery up to 500 feet above the terrain, with location coordinates built into the display, and can remain aloft for one and a half hours on a single charge, said Sergeant Garcia.
The RQ-11B also has several benefits over earlier models.
"This is a more durable UAV and it is much easier to launch," said Col. Steven Ross, chief of the anti-terrorism office at U.S. Transportation Command. "The former model had to be launched like a giant slingshot. This one can be hand launched."
The biggest benefit of the UAV is in creating a visual data to base defense forces without having to launch a regular-sized aircraft sortie.
The tactical advantage of having a small aircraft capable of transmitting images without putting pilots in harm's way can be summed up with just a few words.
"Being able to see the enemy first is key," Colonel Ross said.
by Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco
Training With The Raven UAV Noel said he would encourage other soldiers to learn about unmanned aerial vehicles as well.
"Technology is growing," Noel explained. "The future is upon us and everything isn't about shooting guns any more."
Raven B UAV in Southwest Asia The SUAV has two modes of operation. Vehicle operators can remotely control the aircraft from a handset, just like a pilot controls a regular aircraft, or it can be controlled in navigation mode where the desired mission specifications are preloaded and the vehicle flies a mission on its own.
MQ-9 Reaper The Reaper's turboprop engine is able to run at 250 knots, can fly up to 40,000 feet and is able to stay in the air for more than 20 hours.
MQ-1 Predator On Duty Sometimes the best course of action is launching an air strike, other times it can mean remaining overhead to observe or follow possible insurgents as they move around the countryside.
Electrical power has been applied to the first Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant of the F-35 Lightning II for the first time, initiating a series of ground tests that will lead to the inaugural flight of the STOVL aircraft next spring.
"Power-on" is an incremental process of testing the aircraft's circuits, electronic components and wiring and it was achieved on schedule.
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The RAF deployed a HERTI system, one of the world’s first fully autonomous unmanned air vehicles (UAV), in Afghanistan this summer as part of Project Morrigan, a joint initiative between the RAF Air Warfare Centre and BAE Systems. Launched in September 2006, it aims to integrate HERTI UAV systems into UK forces for a short period in order to develop potential Tactics, Techniques & Procedures for the integration of HERTI’s capabilities into existing joint manned/unmanned force structures.