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

Posted on: Mar. 19th, 2006 || Source: ctv.ca | E-mail Article | Print Article

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.

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