The original ...
To constantly know what is going on the enemy side, you can place on its territory, the set of compact sensors - acoustic, magnetic, chemical, etc.. And the easiest way to do it - with the help of a miniature autonomous glider, which have been tested recently in the Arizona desert.
The main ... Sam glider CICADA (Close-In Covert Autonomous Disposable Aircraft - « Autonomous aerial vehicle near the drop intelligence ... In the manner of aircraft missile - a pair of gliders for each UAV.
A drone starts already risen to a significant - up to 18 km - altitude with a balloon. From the top, going to the autonomous flight, CICADA will, focusing on the gyroscope and the data on-board GPS-navigation system, a spiral to move over, gradually narrowing the circle. Very small size and lack of engine noise makes it difficult to CICADA, not only for the attack, but simply to detect the enemy.
Autopilot is built into its design in the literal sense of the word: his wings include printed circuit boards with the appropriate chips. Using the same method can be ... Thus, on this same platform can be without the mess to make gliders to perform different tasks or work in different conditions.
The whole system was successfully tested at the Yuma Proving Grounds test site. Technicians installed a pair of gliders CICADA under the wings of the UAV Tempest, but it was connected to an ordinary weather balloon balloon. Ball picked up his cargo to a height of more than 17 km, after which the separation occurred Tempest. He has successfully delivered two glider in ... Gliders move strictly on what was intended, and landed with great precision, about 4.6 m from the target conditional.
