Christine Thropp
A nano unmanned aerial vehicle jointly built by BAE Systems and UAVTEK showed a capability to operate in harsh weather conditions during a British army-hosted military technology demonstration event.
BAE said Monday the lightweight “Bug” UAV is designed to help soldiers collect tactical intelligence and increase their situational awareness through the vehicle’s high-resolution camera and antennas with a 1.24-mile range.
“[The] video feed could be shared multi-domain, enabling commanders on land, sea and air to increase their situational awareness and inform their decisions,” said James Gerard, principal technologist at BAE’s applied intelligence sector.
The 0.4-pound drone is fitted with four rotors that enable the nano vehicle to fly at 50 miles per hour and a quick charge battery that powers its flight for over 40 minutes.
BAE and UAVTEK are studying the potential addition of sensors to enhance the drone and the possible integration of Bug with other military technologies.
Bug was trialed at the Army Warfighting Experiment hosted by the Future Capability Group of the U.K.’s defense ministry.
