AV Raven marks surveillance milestone

MONROVIA, Calif., April 2 (UPI) -- U.S. company AeroVironment announced a milestone achievement for its small unmanned aircraft system after demonstrating 30 consecutive hours of surveillance.

AV and the U.S. Army product manager for SUAS technologies recently conducted a demonstration of the company's RQ-11B Raven at Camp Roberts in California. Officials said the Raven SUAS flew for 30 consecutive hours, marking a milestone for the technology's surveillance capabilities.

The RQ-11B Raven, widely deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, is a 4.2-pound SUAS that offers troops operating in urban combat zones advanced surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for improved situational awareness. Working in eight-hour rotated shifts, the Raven's two-person crew was able to maintain a constant surveillance for the duration of the demonstration.

"Soldiers have in their rucksacks an immediately accessible, long-term surveillance unmanned aircraft system to give them extended bird's-eye views of a target so they don't have to wait for larger unmanned aircraft systems that are in high demand," John Grabowsky, AV executive vice president and UAS segment general manager, said in a statement.

"The battle-proven Raven system could also support many important non-military applications for extended intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, such as border control, law enforcement and communications and reconnaissance following a major storm."