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Type of aircraft From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma is an American unmanned aircraft system which is small, battery powered, and hand-launched. Its primary mission is surveillance and intelligence gathering using an electro-optical and infrared camera. It is produced by AeroVironment.
RQ-20 Puma | |
---|---|
AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma and US soldiers | |
Role | Remote controlled UAS |
Manufacturer | AeroVironment |
First flight | 2007 |
Introduction | 2008[1] |
Primary users | United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Air Force Albanian Air Force |
Number built | + 1,000[2] |
Each military RQ-20A system has three air vehicles and two ground stations.[3] The Puma AE can operate at temperatures ranging from −20 to 120 °F (−29 to 49 °C), wind speeds up to 25 knots (29 mph; 46 km/h), and an inch of rain per hour (25.4mm/h).[4] It had a reported top speed of 45 miles per hour, a range of 10+ miles and an endurance time of more than 2 hours. The drone carries an array of sensors, including a times-fifty optical zoom, to live-stream video back to its ground station.[5]
In 2008 it was selected for the United States Special Operations Command. In March 2012 the United States Army ordered the Puma All Environment (AE) and designated it the RQ-20A.[3] In April, the United States Marine Corps and United States Air Force placed a similar order for the RQ-20A.[6][7]
On 26 July 2013, the Puma became one of the first unmanned aerial vehicles to be granted certification by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly in U.S. airspace for commercial purposes.
On 8 June 2014, the Puma AE made its first flight for BP in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, which was the first authorized unmanned commercial flight over land.[8]
The UK tested ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) packages compatible with the Puma AE on board the M80 Stiletto trials ship in November 2014.[9] As of 2021, 12 systems were deployed with 700 Naval Air Squadron permitting individual teams to be embarked on Royal Navy vessels as might be required.[10][5]
On 20 January 2016, RQ-20 units were captured by the Turkish army from the PKK. It is suspected that the Kurdish militants were able to acquire these drones from their Syrian affiliates.[11]
In August 2016, AeroVironment announced the U.S. Navy had tested and deployed the RQ-20B Puma aboard a Flight I Guided Missile Destroyer. The test included the company's Precision Recovery System to autonomously recover the aircraft aboard a ship. The Puma was utilized on Navy patrol craft in the Persian Gulf.[1]
In 2018 commercial certification followed military certification and the Congressionally-mandated opening of airspace over much of Alaska to small UAVs.[12] Three individual Pumas were certified, with strict requirements: only one aircraft of the type was allowed to be airborne at any one time; they were not certified for clouds or icing conditions; takeoff and landing was not allowed during certain gust and wind conditions. The certification did not mention line-of-sight control.[13] In December 2021, the United States allocated $5 million for a Puma drone for the Kurdish Peshmerga in Iraq.[14]
On 1 April 2022, the United States announced a $300 million military aid package to Ukraine that included Puma drones, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[15] Oryx reports that by 19 September 2023, Russian forces had shot down at least 10 of these drones.[16]
Data from [52] Puma AE data sheet
General characteristics
Performance