Instant Eye

This post is also available in: עברית (Hebrew)

Developed by Andover, Massachusetts-based Physical Sciences, the Instant Eye aerial drone is designed to improve situational awareness during disaster response efforts.

The GPS-enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) has two high-resolution cameras to provide real-time video of an area. It can deploy to help locate survivors, identify viable roads, and evaluate damage in disaster zones.

The Army Research Laboratory, Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office, and the Defense Department’s Emerging Capabilities and Prototyping Office funded the UAV’s development.

Unmanned systems conference 2014 – Israel

The UAV travels up to 50 miles per hour and can provide an “instant eye” on an area for up to 30 minutes.

The quad-rotor design and reflexive autopilot and sensors mean it can perform in windy environments. The 8-inch custom carbon fiber frame makes it robust for extreme conditions.

Instant Eye can carry up to a pound so it could deliver urgent medicine or several cell phones to enable communication in areas where access has become difficult.

In July, Instant Eye also received FAA approval to fly in U.S. airspace to inspect critical infrastructure like power lines and pipelines.