New UAV Raven B increases airmen’s vision

[unhappycamper]

New UAV Raven B increases airmen’s vision
By Seamus O’Connor - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Nov 25, 2007 8:51:10 EST

When airmen need to see beyond the horizon, they call up their newest surveillance drone and an airman-cum-quarterback.

The RQ-11B, or Raven B, is a hand-launched small unmanned aerial vehicle with an operational range of 10 kilometers that “gives us eyes on places where we wouldn’t normally get to see,” said Lt. Col. Mary Anne Lutz.

Lutz is commander of 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, which has had the Raven B for a couple of months, flying over Kirkuk for the first time Oct. 10.

It replaces the Desert Hawk, a similar craft designed for the same purpose. But the Raven B is “10 times better than the Desert Hawk” in operation, according to Tech. Sgt. Jason Stachowski, noncommissioned officer in charge of the RQ-11B team for the 506th.

“The video that feeds from the aircraft is superior the Desert Hawk,” he said, as are “the pictures provide us some real-time video and rapid visual assessment.”

The Raven B is 3 feet long with a 55-inch wingspan, and weighs 4.2 pounds when carrying a full payload of traditional and infrared cameras. An airman launches the craft by throwing it, a convenience compared to the two-man bungee-cord catapult system used to launch the Desert Hawk.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/11/airforce_ravenb_071125w/



uhc comment: Meet the RQ-11 Raven

http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/raven.htm




~snip~

he RQ-11A is essentially a down-sized FQM-151 Pointer, but thanks to improved technology can carry the same navigation system, control equipment, and payload. The operation of a Raven system is effectively identical to Pointer, making transition to the new smaller system particularly easy. The Raven UAV weighs about 1.9 kg (4.2 lb), has a flight endurance of 80 minutes and an effective operational radius of about 10 km (6.2 miles). Flying speed is 45-95 km/h (28-60 mph) at typical operating altitude between 30 m and 300 m (100-1000 ft). The RQ-11A can be either remotely controlled from the ground station or fly completely autonomous missions using GPS waypoint navigation. The UAV can be ordered to immediately return to its launch point simply by pressing a single command button. Standard mission payloads include CCD color video and an infrared camera.

As of early 2005, a total of more than 1300 Raven vehicles have been built, with about 2000 more on contract, and by 2006 the Army was expected to decide if it would use the Raven as a long-term asset or if it would be replaced by so-called Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs). Reportedly, the Air Force's Special Operations Command has also purchased an unknown number of Ravens.

A single Raven costs about $35,000 and the total system costs $250,000.

[RC]

1. $35,000? I wonder what the mark up in on this thing.

And how much they donate to the right Repugs?

[unhappycamper]

2. That's 35 Gs for the aircraft only.

It's $250,000 for the entire system.

AeroVironment is the manufacturer --> http://www.hstoday.us/Archive/0706_Market%20Monitor_AeroVironment_sees_homeland_potential_in_small_UAVs.cfm

[RC]

3. I know. $35,000 is a bit much for a flying camera.

GPS unites are cheap also.