SYDNEY, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Sea trials have been completed on a small, unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that could be deployed aboard Australia's new Armidale-class patrol boats.
The Aqua Puma, built by California's AeroVironment, is a hand-launched aircraft that gives the patrol boat crew a bird's eye view of the area around them for up to 90 minutes.
The Royal Australian Navy is considering making the Aqua Puma standard equipment on the Armidale boats, which are designed for coastal patrol and interdiction missions against smugglers, fish poachers and other interlopers. Australia plans to deploy a dozen of the speedy vessels.
AeroVironment pointed out that since the Armidale boats are not particularly large, the Aqua Puma's portability is a big advantage. The crew basically throws the Aqua Puma into the air and then fishes it out of the water after its mission is completed.
"Adding the Aqua Puma to the Armidales will require no ship modifications and will add significant day and night reconnaissance and surveillance capability," said company Vice President Ike Bayraktar.
The Aqua Puma is based on the company's 50-pound FQM-151 Pointer UAS, which is used by U.S. small units for reconnaissance and surveillance and also to double-check the concealment of its own soldiers.
