Sperwers to provide 'eye in sky' for Cdn. troops

Published: Mar 19, 2006
Source: www.ctv.ca



Canada's air force has begun using unmanned spy planes in Kandahar, Afghanistan, which can scour the desert and rugged mountainous terrain and help keep soldiers out of harm's way.

The state-of-the art, $2-million flyers gather intelligence -- such as tracking down insurgents and photographing potential enemy hideouts and suspicious objects -- using specialized sensors and real-time video technology.

A technician on the ground controls the French-made drone, called a Sperwer. He or she sits in an area that resembles an aircraft cockpit.

The three-metre-long plane sends the information back to the base through radio waves where it is relayed to troops in the field.continue..