Before the month is out, Canadian forces will be flying the Maveric miniature unmanned aerial vehicle (MUAV) under a $2.9 million deal with Prioria, the company announced 10 Aug.
Prioria will supply the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Forces with five Maveric systems to fulfil MUAV requirements at home and in Canada's operation Athena in Afghanistan, the company says.
The intelligence-gathering Maveric, which debuted in 2008, is equipped image-stabilized cameras and an on-board processor able to interpret the streaming visual data for collision avoidance cues. Using Prioria's proprietary algorithms and the company's 100g (0.04oz) on-board avionics suite, Maveric can autonomously sense and avoid certain fixed objects in its flight path. The 1.13kg (2.5lb) airframe also features bendable 73.6cm (29in) wings that wrap around the fuselage for tube stowage.
The first delivery of training planes is set for 16 Aug, says Prioira, with a 15 Oct delivery of operational aircraft and 15 Nov for final delivery and logistical support set up, says Prioria, with ING Engineering of Ottawa providing the DND with logistical support as a subcontractor. The first round of training is already underway in Florida.
Source: Flight International