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Headline : U.S. Navy Experiments With Revolutionary New Drone
Caption : The U.S. Navy have been testing a revolutionary new drone in the Atlantic Ocean.

The V-BAT vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS) flew above the flight deck of the Military Sealift Command expeditionary fast transport vessel USNS Spearhead on Wednesday (24 July).

The V-BAT could signal a new era in military drone strategy thanks to its ability to be launched and recovered in only a 20 x 20 ft clearing, meaning it can be deployed at sea or at very restricted launch points. Impressively, it can be airborne for up to 8+ hours with an 8+ lb payload.

The craft can fly at speeds of up to 90 knots, has a fuel-limited range of 350 miles and can operate at altitudes of up to 15,000 feet.

The U.S. Navy said: “V-BAT UAS provides improved detection and monitoring to support counter-narcotics missions in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.”

Texas-based creators Martin UAV explain: “V-BAT is a long endurance VTOL design ideal for shipboard and confined area operation. A ducted fan design maximizes operational safety by eliminating exposed rotors.

“The combination of VTOL operational convenience, with the safety of a shrouded fan and fixed wing duration in a small UAV system, will revolutionise the availability of UAV operations from confined areas, bridging a critical mission gap at the tactical level where it is needed the most.”
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