Eyes in the sky needed to spot lethal explosives on the ground

Posted on: Apr. 14th, 2006 || Source: usatoday.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

Eyes in the sky needed to spot lethal explosives on the ground

The Pentagon is developing unmanned aircraft to find buried mines and improvised explosive devices, the largest killer of U.S. troops in Iraq.

In the past month, records show, the Air Force and Navy have asked defense contractors to help devise bomb- and mine-hunting unmanned aircraft.

Ground-based robots have helped locate IEDs, but they're often too slow and low to the ground to spot the bombs, the Air Force says. "An unmanned aerial system would decrease time on target, eliminate exposing personnel to hazards and enhance reconnaissance capabilities," according to the Air Force document released March 20.

The Office of Naval Research has budgeted $8 million for research into drone aircraft and asked scientific companies to submit papers this month.

"We don't know yet what kind of technologies will be presented," said Daniel Dayton, the agency spokesman. "This is a call for the best ideas."

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