_called_Scan_Eagle_launches_from_a_pneumatic_wedge_catapult_launcher.jpg/800px-US_Navy_060823-N-8547M-040_An_Unmanned_Aerial_Vehicle_(UAV)_called_Scan_Eagle_launches_from_a_pneumatic_wedge_catapult_launcher.jpg) |
| Image: Wiki Commons |
by Richard Tomkins
A Scan Eagle Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) launches from a pneumatic wedge catapult launcher on the flight deck aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Saipan >>
The Royal Australian Navy has completed first-of-class flight trial for its ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing.
ScanEagle -- for surveillance and reconnaissance -- sends video and telemetry to its control station in near real time and can be configured with various sensors and propulsion modules.
The system has an operating range of as much as 124 miles and a flight endurance of more than 12 hours.
The trial was conducted from HMAS Choules to validate the system's operating limits.
Read the full story at SpaceDaily