Tethered Drones to Be Equipped with Innovative Tech
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New sensor technology for small, tethered, multirotor-type unmanned aerial systems (UASs) will be able to provide base protection, event security, and support other HLS missions.
The MicroKestrel sensor has been developed by Logos Technologies, a company specializing in wide-area motion imagery (WAMI).
When mounted on a tethered UAS and hovering at 200 feet, a single sensor can image three square kilometers, tracking every vehicle and detecting every moving dismount within its 180-degree field of regard.
The system can also cue high-definition video cameras for close-in inspection should an operator require positive identification of a target.
The system is so light that some tethered UAS can actually accommodate two units, each pointed in a different direction, providing twice the coverage area and a 360-degree field of view, according to suasnews.com.
The sensor will be able to go on tethered UASs or free-flying UAVs that have been connected to a third-party tethering station. This greatly expands the types of operators who will be able to use WAMI.
WAMI capability is offered in multiple forms — from sensor pods mounted on manned and unmanned aircraft to aerostat-based systems that can stay on station for weeks at a time.
