Military drones are currently deployed mainly for intelligence gathering, reconnaissance, and surveillance missions. Drones have become an integral part of military equipment.
But now, defense companies are focusing on getting these drones ready for suicidal missions….to fly and detonate.
The US Marines recently conducted a training exercise with the miniature drones at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The low-cost miniature drone is called the Drone 40. It can be deployed by hand or launched from a 40 mm grenade launcher to become an airborne explosive. Drone 40 has been developed by an Australian defense company Defendtex.
The drone can be packed with explosives to function as a grenade
Once launched or hand-tossed, these devices hover in the air using four rotors attached to the top of its body. The flight of the Drone 40 is then controlled using a radio link from a portable ground control station. It can hit the target and detonate or can fly back to the base where the Marine catches it by a tether.
The drone weighs just over six ounces (190 grams). Its maximum take-off weight is 10 ounces (300 grams). Once launched, it flies at speeds up to 45 mph (72 km/h). It can travel up to 12 miles before detonating.
