BATCAM

The BATCAM (Battlefield Air Targeting Camera Autonomous Micro-Air Vehicle) was developed by the Munitions Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory and first flew in 2003. It was designed as a very light battlefield surveillance UAV for the USAF's BAO (Battlefield Air Operations) kit. (U.S. Air Force photo)

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BATCAM

Note: This item is currently in storage.

The BATCAM (Battlefield Air Targeting Camera Autonomous Micro-Air Vehicle) was developed by the Munitions Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory and first flew in 2003. It was designed as a very light battlefield surveillance UAV for the USAF's BAO (Battlefield Air Operations) kit.

The BATCAM is hand-launched and powered by a battery-driven electric motor. It uses a GPS/INS navigation system and is equipped with two TV cameras -- a forward/downward-looking one for operation orientation, and a side-looking one for oblique surveillance. The operator uses a ruggedized notebook computer to control the vehicle and watch the camera images. A single UAV should be able to complete hundreds of missions, but the air vehicle is cheap enough to be regarded as expendable, if the combat situation doesn't allow safe retrieval.

Transferred from Air Force Special Operations Command.

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