UAS reaches new highs

News

Boeing recently reached two milestones with its ScanEagle unmanned aerial system by logging its longest continuous flight with a prototype and by logging over 20,000 combat flight hours in Iraq.

and team member

recently reached two new milestones with its ScanEagle unmanned aerial system (UAS). The milestones were achieved when the UAS logged its longest continuous flight after a prototype was flown for for 22 hours and eight minutes at its test range in

,

; and by logging a total of more than 20,000 combat flight hours supporting US Marines in

.

For the continuous flight, the team flew a preproduction prototype Block D ScanEagle in a simulated mission profile, and completed the task with a fuel reserve.

The Block D configuration incorporates enhancements such as a higher-resolution infrared camera; an inertially-stabilised camera turret to maintain stable imaging; a new video transmitter system; rover interoperability for mobile operators; in-flight fuel measurement systems, and other advances for reliability and modularity.

At war

Since August 2004, ScanEagle has provided real-time imagery to support persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions for the marines.

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