Breaking news
US Marine Corps fly RQ-21A UAV in controlled airspace for the first time.
| 2016
| a | |||
|
|
|||
|
World Defense & Security News - United States
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
US Marine Corps fly RQ-21A UAV in controlled airspace for the first time
|
|||
|
The US Marines have flown an RQ-1A Blackjack UAV in controlled airspace for the first time. The flight took place at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, home base of Marine Unmanned Air Vehicle Squadron 2 (VMU-2), on 21 March. The air station is considered Class D airspace.
|
|||
|
|
|||
 A USMC RQ-21A UAV(Source: USMC) |
|||
|
|
|||
|
This airspace of this category at Cherry Point is the area included within a radius of five miles from the centre and at a height of 2,500 feet. This airspace is busy with military and civilian aircraft. Therefore the flight of an unmanned air vehicle is a challenge that requires the integration of both types of aviation in a safe environment, following FAA requirements.
Boeing Insitu RQ-21A Blackjack is a small tactical air vehicle with a radius of 50 nm. It has a speed of 80 kts, an endurance of 16 hours and a ceiling of 19,000 ft. It is fully autonomous in its launch and recovery, making it ideal for surface vessels, hence its selection by the US Navy. Its payload can be configured to include day or night video camera; EO/IR sensors; mid-wave IR imager; IR marker; laser rangefinder; AIS and communications relay. The Marines use it to provide ISTAR to the ground troops and forward bases. The new capability will allow the Marine squadrons using the unmanned system to train without the need to relocate. |
|||