RQ-14 Dragon Eye

Definition/Scope: The Dragon Eye Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is a small reconnaissance UAV developed by the Naval Research Laboratory and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory for use by the U.S. Marine Corps. It is a tailless design with a rectangular wing and twin props. It is designed to fit into a backpack, with a weight of 2.25 kilograms (5 pounds) and a span of 1.14 meters (3 feet 9 inches). It is propellar driven and can be launched by hand or using a store-bought bungee cord. It also uses a break-apart system to increase durability - parts of the plane break apart instead of shattering and can be reattached later or replaced with new parts. It is capable of disassembling into 5 pieces and then be transported by individial Marines. It has a GPS-INS-based waypoint navigation system. The operator monitors Dragon Eye operation through "video goggles" connected to a laptop computer. The control system weighs about 5.4 kilograms (12 pounds). The Dragon Eye aircraft is used primarily for scouting urban areas, and is especially useful in urban assaults. Its maximum endurance rate is approximately 60 minutes, while 45 minutes is nominal. Dragon Eye's operating altitude was originally believed to be between 300 and 500 feet above ground level, with a video link range in excess of 5 kilometers.

Broader Terms:

fixed-site security
perimeter security
Tier I (UAV)
Unmanned Aircraft System (by name)
USMC

Narrower Terms:

Battle Damage Assessment
ISR
Urban Operation

Related Terms:

Desert Hawk
Force Protection Airborne Surveillance System
Global Positioning System
Ground Combat Element
RQ-11 Raven