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The Royal Navy has expanded its fleet of remotely-piloted drones – the far-seeing eyes of navy warships – with new coaching, personnel and 12 plane.
The sailors at 700X Naval Air Squadron not too long ago took supply of their newest Puma air programs and may now instantly deploy flights as required for defence.
The latest deployment for the squadron, which is predicated at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall, was on the offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey.
Puma flight commander Lieutenant Ashley Loftus stated: “We’ve made a big transfer ahead in our capabilities within the final 12 months. We are actually on the stage the place we could be deployed at quick discover. It is a completely natural and versatile Royal Navy enterprise, utilizing our programs being flown by Royal Navy personnel.”
With a variety past 10 miles and an endurance of greater than two hours, the Puma can vastly enhance the power of a ship to assemble intelligence, for example on the identification of transport.
Flying as much as 45 miles per hour, the drones mix a high-tech management system with their array of sensors, together with a times-fifty optical zoom, to live-stream video again to the ship.
Lieutenant Loftus added: “They might look easy, however the Puma is a rugged and complicated piece of equipment. Sure, it’s pretty small, however meaning we will deploy it from the strict of any ship with the minimal of effort.
“Final 12 months we took half in workouts within the Mediterranean on HMS Albion whereas this 12 months we’ve deployed with HMS Tamar after which within the Baltic again onboard Albion once more.
“We’ve additionally taken half in workouts with the Royal Marines. We’ve operated the Puma from touchdown craft whereas working with the marines in Scotland. We’d fly forward of the craft, in the course of the nighttime, utilizing one of many system’s thermal cameras to supply real-time intelligence.
“We’ve simply now undertaken a coaching embarkation in UK waters with HMS Mersey, to coach our new flight commanders.”
700X Naval Air Squadron conducts its personal coaching programme to arrange personnel for the Puma flights. The squadron additionally teaches navy personnel from throughout defence in the usage of quadcopters. It additionally researches and evaluates a variety of remotely-piloted programs because the sector continues to extend.
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