US-based Drone Aviation has secured its first contract for the WASP Lite aerostat product from the US Army.
WASP Lite is a tactical aerial asset that can be easily transportable in a series of rugged cases and quickly deployable to fill capability gaps on the battlefield.
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The compact, non-trailer-based, persistent aerostat system can be set up and deployed on the ground, on the rooftop of a building or on the back of a vehicle.
It can be deployed up to 1,000ft and operated while stationary or while travelling at speeds of up to 40mph.
WASP Lite has been tested and completed training and operational evaluations at multiple US Army bases.
Under the contract worth more than $1.1m, Drone Aviation will supply multiple WASP Lite aerostat systems that can support specialised waveform communications equipment and day / night intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) payloads.
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By GlobalDataWASP Lite uses Drone Aviation’s advanced tethering technologies that were deployed in Winch Aerostat Small Platform (WASP) tactical aerostat for secure power and data transmission.
Deliveries under the latest contract, as well as those related to a $3.8m WASP tactical aerostat contract awarded by a US Government contractor in January, are expected to commence in the third quarter of 2019 and continue until the end of the year.
WASP Lite supports a range of payloads, including multiple communications waveforms, ISR and signal intelligence.
Drone Aviation chairman and CEO Jay Nussbaum said: “As demonstrated by first-hand customer evaluations, WASP Lite will be a critical asset on the modern, networked battlefield.
“This award is a testament to our team’s unwavering vision and ability to produce innovative products that combine persistent communications coupled with a powerful eye in the sky, capable of meeting stringent military requirements.”
Drone Aviation manufactures compact and rapidly deployable aerial platforms, including aerostats and drones, to provide government and commercial customers with enhanced surveillance and communication capabilities.
