DARPA and the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory have begun experimenting with an extremely low-cost resupply drone that can be made out of plywood or aluminum. The Logistics Gliders Inc designed drones are 10.4 feet long with a 23-foot wingspan and a payload capacity of up to 700 pounds.
Flying at speeds of up to 135 knots (about 155 miles per hour), these drones can fly and land autonomously using GPS guidance after being deployed from the rear of cargo aircraft. Instead of relying on a landing strip, the drone dips to an altitude of about 200 feet and deploys a parachute for a soft landing.
The idea is to deploy these low-tech and low-cost drones to quickly resupply troops in the field. Because of their simplicity, these drones are expected to only cost the taxpayer between $4,500 and $11,000 each — making them nearly expendable from a financial standpoint.
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DARPA and the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory have begun experimenting with an extremely low-cost resupply drone that can be made out of plywood or aluminum. The Logistics Gliders Inc designed drones are 10.4 feet long with a 23-foot wingspan and a payload capacity of up to 700 pounds.
Flying at speeds of up to 135 knots (about 155 miles per hour), these drones can fly and land autonomously using GPS guidance after being deployed from the rear of cargo aircraft. Instead of relying on a landing strip, the drone dips to an altitude of about 200 feet and deploys a parachute for a soft landing.
The idea is to deploy these low-tech and low-cost drones to quickly resupply troops in the field. Because of their simplicity, these drones are expected to only cost the taxpayer between $4,500 and $11,000 each — making them nearly expendable from a financial standpoint.
Watch the LG-1K fly below.
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