U.S. Army researchers are asking a Norwegian company to develop a pocket-sized helicopter to provide a personal reconnaissance UAV for infantrymen and Special Forces warfighters.
Officials of the Army Contracting Command in U.S. are awarding a $2.5 million contract to ProxDynamics AS of Nesbru, Norway, to develop the Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS) – a one-pound force-protection micro UAV for soldiers and small infantry units.
ProxDynamics researchers will base the Black Hornet pocket UAV on the company’s PD-100 personal reconnaissance system, a mobile unmanned helicopter designed to provide infantry soldiers with immediate intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability. The Prox Dynamics PD-100 PRS consists of the PD-100 nanocopter UAV and base station. The entire package weighs less than two pounds, excluding display, and measures 8 by 3.5 by 2 inches.
The PD-100 micro UAV system is for applications such as: search and rescue, reconnaissance in confined areas, look behind, between, and below obstacles, birds-eye view for situational awareness, object identification, proximity surveillance, crowd control, nuclear installation inspection, and checking chemical plants after incidents and accidents. The tiny helicopter UAV’s sensor payload has a steerable electro-optical camera with pan and tilt capability to provide live video and snapshot images.
