Predator's "Little Cousin" Able To Stay Aloft For 1.5 Hours

It may look like little more than a glorified R/C park flyer... but the little cousin of the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper is making a big splash at Bagram Air Base 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 at Bagram.

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.

(Aero-News salutes Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs)

FMI: www.af.mil