Lockheed Martin has unveiled a tethered version of its Indago small unmanned aerial system (UAS) to increase protection for U.S. Special Forces.
The tethered Indago small UAS is designed to provide continuous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities at a reduced cost. U.S. Special Forces perform a range of critical missions, including combating counterinsurgency, conducting reconnaissance, and collecting information vital to national security.
In order to carry out these missions effectively, personnel and infrastructure involved in the operations need constant protection through reliable intelligence and surveillance.
The company aimed to address this need with the expansion of its Indago portfolio. Without the tether, Indago 3 has the ability to fly for 50-70 minutes. The UAS weighs less than 5 lb and can be carried in a rucksack.
The new variant has completed flight testing and allows the Special Forces to quickly configure the tether to have access to uninterrupted ISR. This eliminates the need for dependence on battery.
Indago Business Development manager Michael Carlson said: “When it comes to unmanned systems and capability, size does matter. We want to make something as important as force and facility protection as simple and effective as possible; the tethered Indago can do that.”