US Army wants a drone in every soldier's pocket

Military drones are usually considered very different from the kinds of unmanned aerial vehicles used by average consumers. However, there may be a convergence on the horizon.

According to the Army Times, the US wants to issue pocket-sized drones to its troops by 2018. The technology is being called “Soldier Borne Sensors,” but they are effectively miniature drones that would give soldiers a quick and easy way to surveil an area.

US armed forces are already aided by drones that can watch over target areas, collect intelligence and attack if necessary. Relevant information is passed on to ground forces. However, these large, expensive drones cannot be called in to see what is happening nearby whenever someone decides on a whim they want to get a better look at the surroundings.

A pocket drone solves that problem.

Some form of this technology is already used by other armed forces. The PD-10 Black Hornet is utilized by the United Kingdom and Norway, but they are expensive to manufacture since each unit is handmade. A 2013 contract had the British Ministry of Defense paying about $30 million for 160 units, or nearly $190,000 each. The US Army has its own wishlist of specifications, including being more affordable than the Black Hornet. The drone must weigh 150 grams or less, fit inside a soldier's uniform pockets, have 15 minutes of flight time, withstand wind speeds of 10 to 15 knots and operate at a distance of 1,200m. Soldiers also need to be able to get it from their pocket to the air within one minute.

If this technology makes progress, the research and development could have implications for the drone market later down the line. China suppliers are already seeing some success manufacturing tiny drones. This latest news means the US military will be funding research into making small drones even more capable and durable. While the technology is likely to be expensive at first, this will change over time.