The Remora Drone Piggybacks on Another Drone
Omar Yusuf — October 13, 2011 — Tech
References: flightglobal & gizmodo
Taking its namesake from a suckerfish that lingers beneath the belly of larger fish, the Remora drone's small frame is meant to be tucked away under another, larger drone before launch.
In what may eventually end with a Matryoshka situation, the U.S. military is beginning to arm Predator drones with smaller, more precise Remora drones. When the first remote-controlled device reaches the target, it launches the second one, which in turn launches ordnance toward the enemy. It's a complicated sequence of actions, but is appealing because it means fewer soldiers in harm's way -- luckily, the humor of it isn't lost. Thus far, the American military has agreed to deploy a fleet of Remoras for an 18 month-long stint in Afghanistan; a trial by fire to prove the weapon's efficacy. Hand the remote control to any young gamer, however, and it'll make a great impression on the military buyers.
In what may eventually end with a Matryoshka situation, the U.S. military is beginning to arm Predator drones with smaller, more precise Remora drones. When the first remote-controlled device reaches the target, it launches the second one, which in turn launches ordnance toward the enemy. It's a complicated sequence of actions, but is appealing because it means fewer soldiers in harm's way -- luckily, the humor of it isn't lost. Thus far, the American military has agreed to deploy a fleet of Remoras for an 18 month-long stint in Afghanistan; a trial by fire to prove the weapon's efficacy. Hand the remote control to any young gamer, however, and it'll make a great impression on the military buyers.
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