Alex Iszatt (Reporter)
A SPANISH company has unveiled a range of drones designed to look like birds of prey.
The devices can fly 10 times closer to enemy lines than existing detective equipment.
Expal’s unmanned ‘forward observer’ is so well camouflaged it can fly at 100 meters above the enemy without detection, compared to the standard 1,000 meters.
The remote-controlled craft, which costs around €1,200, is fitted with state-of-the-art cameras and can automatically provide target location data to nearby mortars.
It is currently being tested by the Spanish military with a view to being offered to the military in several other countries.
“Nobody can tell it’s a spy because it’s designed to the exact body shape and feather pattern of an eagle,” said a spokesman from the company in Madrid.
“We can design it to look like any large bird depending on the location of the client.”
Did they think this through? I think the fact that it isn’t behaving like an eagle will give it away. Easy target practice at such close range!
So, birds of prey will be shot at just in case then?
Hopefully not; there should be obvious differences in behaviour, especially as the real birds don’t typically fly over areas of military interest.
Its the Spaniards way of spying on Gibraltar, we do get the real thing now and then, Eagles I mean