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Journalism of Courage
US Army is planning to get tiny,’backpack-size’ drones that can be flown into targets up to nine kilometres away.
The new drone,called the Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System (LMAMS) will weigh just 5 pounds and will be used for discrete targets to minimise collateral damage.
The US Army has invited applications from contractors to build the drone and wants it ready for use by 2016 at the latest,a media report said.
An operator should be able to carry LMAMS in a backpack and set it up to fly within two minutes.
When army units — small ones,since the US Army wants LMAMS organic to the small unit level — spot a specific combatant or suspicious vehicle,a soldier is supposed to launch the LMAMS and direct it at the target,and only the target,the report said.
Its limited flight range,loiter time and camera power restricts its use as an overhead spy tool for scouting those targets.
