The US Army is buying 18000 drones from mini-palm sized drones to new ground robots for Afghanistan. The palm-sized Black Hornet mini-drone only weighs just over one ounce.
The Army is buying 9,000 systems — each with two drones — over three years for nine-man infantry squads.
A squad leader will use mini-drones to scout ahead by air before exposing human soldiers on the ground. The SBS has sensor options for both night and day, and it can fly about 20 minutes before needing to recharge.
But the squad-level mini-drone is just the entry model. Larger units will get larger, more capable, but also more expensive and more maintenance-hungry drones.
In 2020, there will be new drones that weigh three pounds or less, fly for 30 minutes, and be able to landing in a vantage point overlooking a target area so it can keep watch without burning through its flight time.
Squad Support Ground Robots
There are four robots competing to be the new robot for squads to have ground supply support.
The four competing ground robots are the Polaris MRZR, Howe & Howe Grizzly, HDT Wolf, and General Dynamics MUTT.
Brian Wang is a prolific business-oriented writer of emerging and disruptive technologies. He is known for insightful articles that combine business and technical analysis that catches the attention of the general public and is also useful for those in the industries. He is the sole author and writer of
nextbigfuture.com, the top online science blog. He is also involved in angel investing and raising funds for breakthrough technology startup companies.
He gave the recent keynote presentation at Monte Jade event with a talk entitled the Future for You. He gave an annual update on molecular nanotechnology at Singularity University on nanotechnology, gave a TEDX talk on energy, and advises USC ASTE 527 (advanced space projects program). He has been interviewed for radio, professional organizations. podcasts and corporate events. He was recently interviewed by the radio program Steel on Steel on satellites and high altitude balloons that will track all movement in many parts of the USA.
He fundraises for various high impact technology companies and has worked in computer technology, insurance, healthcare and with corporate finance.
He has substantial familiarity with a broad range of breakthrough technologies like age reversal and antiaging, quantum computers, artificial intelligence, ocean tech, agtech, nuclear fission, advanced nuclear fission, space propulsion, satellites, imaging, molecular nanotechnology, biotechnology, medicine, blockchain, crypto and many other areas.
