Demo set for post-disaster communications

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MONROVIA, Calif., May 25 (UPI) -- Unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer AeroVironment will demonstrate the use of its products for post-disaster U.S. government communications.

The demonstration will be performed for the Federal Communications Commission's Deployable Aerial Communications Architecture Notice of Inquiry proceeding, which is to evaluate methods of re-establishing government communications when normal networks are inoperable.

"AeroVironment's small UAS have proven themselves to be reliable, rugged, and cost-effective life-saving tools for troops on the frontline," said Roy Minson, AeroVironment senior vice president and general manager of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. "We are seeing only the beginning of the utility these tools can deliver to military and non-military users.

"By demonstrating how small UAS can also provide instant communications capabilities we hope to help the FCC and industry envision valuable new applications of our technology to preserve lives, property and resources."

AeroVironment said its technology demonstrations will be conducted with its line of portable, hand-launched small UAS, which can be carried in a backpack, assembled in less than 5 minutes and fly for as much as 2 hours.

The UAS will be equipped with the company's Digital Data Link and also with third-party communications payloads.

No details on a timeline for the demonstrations were given.