Mobile Aerostat System Being Shipped to Army Forces

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A drone systems company has recently shipped multiple WASP Lite Aerostat systems to the United States Army under the $1.1 million contract awarded last May.  The systems were shipped after the company, Drone Aviation Holding Corporation, completed safety and performance reviews for the technology.

The WASP Lite systems has completed its flight safety and performance testing in Jacksonville before being shipped to the United States Army to be further transported to deployed ground forces.

The aerostat system is a relatively small tethered balloon that floats approximately 1,000 feet in the air. By attaching certain payloads, the system operates as a (kind of) stationary eye in the sky, increasing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities of friendly forces.

The WASP Lite system is very mobile, it can be carried by two soldiers and it only takes about 15 minutes to set up the system in the field. In contrast to Drone Aviation’s larger WASP aerostat system, the lite version is intended to be more versatile allowing to fill gaps in ISR capabilities on the battlefield.

The aerostat can be deployed from practically anywhere including the rooftops and vehicles. It can even be deployed from a moving vehicle travelling at any speed up to 40 miles per hour.

The system also has several different payloads that can be attached to it. Depending on the payload, the balloon can be used as a platform for a wide variety of applications, including intelligence gathering, communications, electronic warfare, and more.

Uasvision.com mentions that the May 2019 contract awarded to Drone Aviation included shipping multiple units, system maintenance, and personnel training. It was also the first contract the company has received for the WASP Lite.