For any given mission, a Dragon Eye operator uses a laptop to program a route into the UAV's on-board computer, and once launched the Dragon Eye flies itself out and back. The 5-pound UAV, built of fiberglass and coated with Kevlar, can fly for about 45 minutes to an hour at 35 mph on a battery charge. It breaks down into five components--fuselage, tail, nose, and two wings--meaning it's easy to transport in a backpack.
In this photo from 2007, a Marine prepares a Dragon Eye in a demonstration for members of the Kenyan army.
Caption by
Jonathan Skillings
