UV Europe 2011: UK looks forward to micro and nano-UAS technology

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is considering requirements for micro and nano UAS which could be fulfilled by the end of the year, according to a senior British Army officer.

Addressing delegates at the UV Europe conference in Brussels, Maj Matt Moore SO2 UAS HQ Director Royal Artillery, said the MoD was looking at an 'immediate ISTAR' micro-UAS requirement at first.

This, he described, would include a 'rapid, reliable and organic' system allowing ground forces to 'see into the compound when they need to and find the firing point when they're getting shot at'.

The requirement has come to light due to the time taken to deploy the Desert Hawk III, Hermes 450 and Reaper UAS to a contact area.

Describing the MoD's Urban Warfare Exercise (URBEX) on Salisbury Plain last year, Moore said the army had considered Lockheed Martin's Night Hawk; AeroVironment's Wasp III; Datron's Scout; and Cyberflight's Maverick.

'Night Hawk performed the best at the Micro-UAS trial at URBEX last year,' Moore observed while describing how the MoD was also looking at nano technology for UAS. The MoD is understood to have issued a tender to industry to provide a capability that meets infantry requirements.

'Our intent is to fill this capability at the end of the year. We have a thought of where we could go,' he admitted although he was unable to provide more details. Finally, Moore said the army was also looking at a micro-ground control station and battery technology in order to lower the burden carried by dismounted soldiers.