'CyberBug,' can drop in and quietly gather intelligence
Special to World Tribune.com
GEOSTRATEGY-DIRECT.COM
Friday, July 29, 2005 A U.S. company has begun marketing a stealth micro-unmanned aerial vehicle that can blend in with its surroundings.
The micro-UAV, dubbed CyberBug, weighs less than a kilogram and was designed for both military and security surveillance. The battery-powered UAV can fly undetected into a hostile environment, land on rocks or trees and relay video images and voice.
The platform was developed by Proxity Digital Networks, based in West Palm Beach, Fla. Proxity's subsidiary, Cyber Aerospace, has marketed the platform to the U.S. military, law enforcement and state and federal agencies. Executives said the company also plans to market CyberBug abroad.
"The CyberBug acts as the eyes and ears of the remote operator," Proxity said in a statement. "It can be flown into a problem area while a remote operator with a headset observes and listens. Running on battery power, it quietly gathers intelligence and can be used to replace humans that are in harms way."
The CyberBug can provide GPS coordinates of hostile or problem areas, facilitate line-of-sight communications as well as provide day or night surveillance of remote areas. The UAV could also help protect forests, pipelines, bridges or other vital facilities.
The UAV has been presented as a security solution for the U.S. military in Iraq. The Army and Marines have employed tactical, engine-powered UAVs to monitor insurgency strongholds.
Proxity said the CyberBug costs $5,500 per unit and can be acquired in bulk and used simultaneously in a range of operations.