Datron Scout Objectives Achieved During Empire Challenge 2011

Datron Scout

, a lightweight quad rotor Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) designed for air reconnaissance and surveillance in harsh environments, performed well during the maritime-based portion of the recent Empire Challenge 2011 in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 

As a part of this event, Datron Scout was responsible for the silent surveillance of points of interest — and their movements — detected by unattended ground sensors and airborne assets. The Datron Scout’s success in this demonstration was highlighted by its:

• “Hover and Grab” Landing: the ability to hover above a moving or stationary boat enabled operators to simultaneously turn the Datron Scout off and grab it out of the air avoiding retrieval from a water landing.
• 10X Optical Zoom Camera: with capability to detect a person from up to 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) away, the 10X optical zoom camera was vital to rapidly survey the marine environment and clearly identified points of interest from a hover and stare position.
• 2.4 kilometer (1.5 miles) Mission Reach: Datron Scout was sent to “clear the route” 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) ahead of a command boat where it streamed video and images to the control centre and multiple devices.
• Harsh Environment Operation: with winds, heavy cloud cover, 36C (98F) temperatures and 40 percent humidity, Datron Scout performed without consequence in this harsh saltwater environment.

Weighing only 1.17 kg. (2.6 lbs.), Datron Scout has a robust design with modular assembly and battery-powered brushless motors that enable it to silently “hover and stare” and follow any point of interest. Its carbon-fibre rotor blades easily fly in 64 kph (40 mph) winds and gusts up to 85 kph (53 mph), making it ideal for operation in inclement weather. Controlled from a tablet-PC, the Datron Scout combines a point-and-touch interface with intelligent applications for intuitive control and mission effectiveness – from over the hill and night-time surveillance to the mapping of new territories. Tool-less assembly means an operator can launch Datron Scout into any environment within minutes.

“The Empire Challenge is a ‘real life’ demonstration of ISR technologies to ensure they are capable of performing as they should before reaching the hands of soldiers in the field,” said Avery White, partner at i3 ICS. “This event showcased the flexibility, ease-of-use and ability of the Datron Scout to mitigate risk and provide warfighters with excellent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities – in some cases ahead of other options.”

“Participating in Empire Challenge 2011 was an honour for us and provided an opportunity to validate the military-grade technology behind the Datron Scout and its performance capabilities in the field,” said Chris Barter, programme manager for Datron Scout. “In addition, we were able to train people on the core functionality of the Datron Scout while in-flight, highlighting the ease of use. Our goal is to save lives with this advanced technology.”

Source: Press Release