EXCLUSIVE: BAE eyes civil UAS demonstrator role for Mantis
BAE System’s Mantis MALE UAV may find a new role as a national technology demonstrator as part of the UK’s civil ASTRAEA project. TIM ROBINSON reports.
BAE Systems has revealed it is considering donating its Mantis MALE UAV prototype to become a national demonstrator, potentially for the UK’s civil ASTRAEA UAS project. Martin Rowe-Willcocks, head of International Business Development at Future Combat Air Systems, BAE Systems said: “essentially, we would gift it”.
Rowe-Willcocks reveals that the company has been responding to an internal goal, announced in 2012, to ‘see what it would take’ to fly the Mantis in UK airspace, with the aim of flying it this year. Previously BAE has had to fly its larger UAVs over test ranges in Australia, incurring increased time and expense. Mantis, which first flew in 2009, was developed in a record 18 months and test flown an unspecified number of times in Australia
BAE’s Mantis could see a new lease of life as part of ASTRAEA. (BAE Systems)
Rowe-Willcocks reveals that the company has been responding to an internal goal, announced in 2012, to ‘see what it would take’ to fly the Mantis in UK airspace, with the aim of flying it this year. Previously BAE has had to fly its larger UAVs over test ranges in Australia, incurring increased time and expense. Mantis, which first flew in 2009, was developed in a record 18 months and test flown an unspecified number of times in Australia
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