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Army Building an Airport Just For Drones

Posted by timothy on from the first-part-of-the-plan dept.

schwit1 writes The Army's ever-growing use of unmanned aerial systems has gotten to the point where two of the most commonly used UAS are getting their own airport. The service's Corps of Engineers at Fort Worth, Texas, has awarded a $33 million contract to SGS to build a 150-acre unmanned aircraft launch and recovery complex at Fort Bliss for Grey Eagle and Shadow UAS. In related news, the FAA has just cleared 4 companies (Trimble Navigation Limited, VDOS Global, Clayco Inc. and Woolpert Inc.) to use drones commercially, for purposes such as site inspection and aerial surveys. (A lot of drones are already in use, of course, but the FAA doesn't like it.)

5 of 48 comments (clear)

  1. Re:too expensive by AaronLS · · Score: 5, Informative

    That and "associated maintenance shops, administrative space, storage space, 5-ton bridge crane, oil/water separator, aircraft container and forklift storage, UAV runway, taxiway, access apron, oil and hazardous waste storage buildings, vehicle storage facilities, organizational vehicle parking, and overhead protection/canopy"

  2. Re:too expensive by Nidi62 · · Score: 5, Informative

    You need shelter for the aircraft (hangars), storage for fuel and other consumables (ammunition, film/data storage, etc), repair facilities and their associated storage requirements, facilities for the personnel assigned to the base (at the very least breakrooms and bathrooms, not to mention workspaces and command/control facilities, and probably housing as well-which comes with its own needs), a control tower with both visual and equipment navigation, and of course security personnel and the related infrastructure needed to secure and patrol a secure-access facility. I don't think 10 grand and an old KMart would be able to supply all of those things.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  3. Re:too expensive by hey! · · Score: 5, Informative

    When you hear "drone" you probably are picturing civilian quad copters. While some military drones are that small, others are substantial aircraft. The Air Force's Global Hawk weighs over ten tons and requires a runway 3700 feet long to take off.

    Obviously some military drones can be hand launched, but the MQ-1Cs mentioned in the article weigh 2200 lbs fully loaded and requires a minimum runway of 2000 feet.

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    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  4. Interesting by koan · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A full on drone base ont heborder.
    Grey Eagle
            Maximum speed: 150 knots (170 mph; 280 km/h)
            Endurance: 30 hours
            Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,840 m)
    Shadow UAS
            Maximum speed: 127 mph; 204 km/h (110 kn)
            Cruising speed: 81 mph; 130 km/h (70 kn)
            Range: 68 mi (59 nmi; 109 km)
            Endurance: 6 h/ 9 h Increased Endurance
            Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,572 m) ELOS (Electronic Line Of Sight)

    Border operations? I wonder what else.

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
  5. A society of drones by hessian · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's nothing, democracy built a society of drones.

    Oh! You mean the robot planes. Sorry, my bad.

    --
    Futurist Traditionalism