Flying cameras to search out bombs in Iraq

Honeywell’s Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) is said to be small enough to fit into a backpack and is equipped with video cameras that relay footage back to soldiers via a handheld device.

The decision to send the device to Iraq follows a successful test in France on the 28th of March, and marks the first time an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been used in combat missions.

Honeywell say that the circular vehicle can fly down to inspect hazardous areas for threats without exposing soldiers to enemy fire. Weighing only 16 pounds, the MAV has the ability to take off and land vertically from complex desert and urban terrains- without the need for runways or helipads.

Mike Cuff, Vice President of Surface Systems at Honeywell Defense and Space, said that he hopes the system will make missions in the unstable country more effective. “Improvised explosive device attacks are among the most dangerous challenges faced by our troops in Iraq,” he added.

Honeywell recently received two contracts from the U.S. Navy (totaling $7.5 million) for the manufacture of more than a dozen MAV systems as well as training and deployment support in Iraq. In 2003, the Defense Advanced Release Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Honeywell a $40 million technology demonstration contract to develop the system. A subsequent $61 million contract was awarded last summer as part of the Army’s Future Combat Systems program.

Designers say that the full system requires minimal operator training and includes two of the airborne vehicles. The MAVs typically fly between 10 and 500 feet above the ground and relay information to a portable ground station which is also used to guide the aircraft. The aircraft can be programmed or operated manually, and can also be equipped with infrared cameras for missions at night.

The MAV system has been field-tested by the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii and has flown more than 3,500 test flights in the past three years. It is currently available for use by security organisations and for civilian law enforcement.

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