The little drone that could hunt submarines

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The Canadians are very proud of their locally built drone, the Brican TD100, and are now considering adapting it for military use. Federal government researchers will be testing the small drone to see if such unmanned aircraft could eventually be used to hunt for submarines and ships. It is the first time that an unmanned air vehicle built in Canada will be tested for this purpose.

The aircraft was originally being used photographing endangered species, when it caught the eye of military officers there. Researchers with the Department of National Defense then suggested installing magnetometers, which can be used as metal detectors, and use those sensors to hunt for submarines or other objects in the ocean.

The TD100 can carry a payload of 9.1 kilograms, significantly more than the similar-sized Boeing ScanEagle, which the Canadian navy has used. The Canadian Forces have also made use, in the past, of leased Israeli-built drones

The test plans for the Brican TD100 include flying it off a Canadian navy ship on the West Coast later in the year. The drone has a wingspan of just over five metres. It can launch from land or from a portable inflatable runway, as well as from the back of a pickup truck. Brian McLuckie, president of Brican, explained he got the idea for the launcher from one of the James Bond movies. Depending on what type of equipment it is carrying, the drone can fly out to 1,000 kilometres from its base and return.

The Ottawa Citizen quotes McLuckie regarding the tests. According to what he says the Brican TD100 and its sensors will be assessed for their ability to detect submarines and other metal objects, such as ships or mines beneath or on the water. Such detection is currently carried out by sensors mounted on Aurora surveillance aircraft or Sea King helicopters