Miniature UAS announced, U.S. government customer delivery revealed
NewsMay 09, 2017
MONROVIA, Calif. Unmanned aircraft system (UAS) design/build company AeroVironment has introduced its new Snipe Nano Quad -- a miniature (Class 0), field-rugged UAS designed to support close-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions -- and announced that the initial delivery of 20 Snipe systems to a U.S. government customer took place in April.
The Snipe quadrotor UAS is fitted with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), low-light-capable, and long-wave infrared (LWIR) sensors in an integrated tilt mechanism in order to relay high-resolution images and record real-time video in both daylight and low light. The UAS's integrated UHF radio enables non-line-of-sight operation, while its software-defined radio (SDR) also allows the quad to be sold commercially.
The small UAS can be launched from the palm of a user's hand and will operate for approximately 15 minutes of flight time, powered by rechargeable batteries. Its flight speed can exceed 20 mph and it can range as far as one kilometer or more. The nano-UAS, says the company, is also able to operate under challenging environmental conditions, including winds upwards of 15 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph. Snipe is controlled via an app on a standard, ruggedized (MIL-STD 810) touchscreen controller; if it loses its radio link, the miniature UAS can return to its operator automatically.
