Small, lethal aerial scouts emerging.

• Author: Williams, Robert H.
• Position: Tech Talk - Brief Article

Small, stealthy vertical take-off and landing vehicles are being developed to operate in a range of environments, with capabilities to land or launch on water. Able to perform surveillance missions, the miniature craft also could be armed.

Officials from Cyber Aerospace Corp. of New Orleans and West Palm Beach, Fla., said two versions of the man-transportable, unmanned aerial vehicles are being contemplated. The micro-vehicle will be carried by a single soldier or SWAT team member. It will weigh about 10 pounds. It will carry a camera and a two-pound payload of either explosives or sensing devices.

A larger version would have a payload of 30 pounds. These craft could perform "innovative" reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition functions and, coincidentally, perform hunter-killer missions.

The...