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Black Hornet Nano UAV Used By British Troops
British troops in Afghanistan are using tiny drones just ten centimeters long to provide vital information to troops on the front lines. The miniature UAVs weigh just 16 grams.
(From Sergeant Scott Weaver launches Black Hornet Nano UAV in Afghanistan )
The Black Hornet Nano Unmanned Air Vehicle is the size of a child's toy, measuring just 10cm (4 ins) by 2.5cm (1 inch), and is equipped with a tiny camera.Soldiers use the mini drone to peer around corners or over walls to identify any hidden threats and the images are relayed to a small screen on a handheld terminal.
Sergeant Christopher Petherbridge, of the Brigade Reconnaissance Force in Afghanistan, said: "Black Hornet is definitely adding value, especially considering the light weight nature of it.
"We used it to look for insurgent firing points and check out exposed areas of the ground before crossing, which is a real asset. It is very easy to operate and offers amazing capability to the guys on the ground."
The nano helicopter has been developed by Prox Dynamics AS of Norway as part of a £20m contract for 160 units with Marlborough Communications Ltd (MCL), Surrey.
(Pocket-sized mini drones used by British soldiers)
Science fiction fans have been treated to imaginative versions of these ideas for generations. Take a look at the Scarab Robot Flying Insect from Raymond Z. Gallun's The Scarab (1936) and the bee cam from Karen Traviss' 2004 novel City of Pearl.
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