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Air Force's Mini-Drone Swarm

The expansion of the US fleet of unmanned aircraft stepped up a gear with the delivery last month of the first batch of Battlefield Air Targeting Micro Air Vehicles (BATMAV). The central piece of hardware for BATMAV is Aerovironment’s WASP, a one-pound, hand-launched UAV already deployed by the US military. But instead of just being […]

The expansion of the US fleet of unmanned aircraft stepped up a gear with the delivery last month of the first batch of Battlefield Air Targeting Micro Air Vehicles (BATMAV).
Wasp2
The central piece of hardware for BATMAV is Aerovironment's WASP, a one-pound, hand-launched UAV already deployed by the US military. But instead of just being a means for ground troops to see what's on the other side of the hill, BATMAV is envisioned as a new 'node in the information network' providing real-time information which can be distributed over a tactical network.

According to Flight International,

*The new capability is predicated on sensor imagery from Batmav aircraft being able to be forwarded to other assets via a tactical radio linked to the UAV ground control station. Batmav is the first major micro air vehicle acquisition competition run by a Western defence force, with its outcome expected to have a major influence on similar requirements being planned by other US service arms as well as among NATO forces. *

Solicitation documents released on 31 July say data from the mini UAV will be able to be "injected into command and control centres, airborne mission aircraft or artillery via digital links in a special tactics machine-to-machine targeting process to greatly reduce the targeting time". Each individual system is to comprise two air vehicles, a ground control station, interchangeable payloads, a carry case and field operators support kit.

Key uses of BATMAV will include directing airstrikes and carrying out bomb damage assessment in the immediate aftermath of strikes.

Each system will comprise a control unit, communications system and two WASP UAVs –- the UAV element being described as 'expendable'. The cost is quoted as $49k per system, and with a total budget of up to $45m over five years, the BATMAV program will see vast numbers of micro-drones buzzing around the battlefield.

(Footnote: One thing these WASPs won't be doing just yet is actual swarming -- they will be acting as individuals. But stay tuned.)