ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., 1 June 2007. Cyber Defense Systems Inc. has announced the live alpha test flight of its remote-control UAV, the CyberBug. The flight lasted approximately 30 minutes with narration and vehicle piloting by James Alman, company co-founder and designer.
The test flight represented the first time live video feed was transmitted from an unmanned aerial vehicle to the Florida Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, Fla.
The test flight was part of a joint Florida Atlantic University and University of Central Florida Project funded by the Federal Highway Administration and managed through the Florida Department of Transportation. The goal is to develop and test initial procedures for deploying an unmanned aerial system (UAS) into national air space for the purpose of emergency management surveillance of infrastructure in a post disaster environment.
Due to limited bandwidth, the URL feed was viewed from 3 locations.
The final test flight will involve a remote satellite transmission of video from the CyberBug to the Florida EOC from Camp Blanding in cooperation with the Florida Air National Guard.
The UAS test flight will include a night flight with infrared camera technology at the request of the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
Smaller and remote controlled unmanned aerial systems can prove to be a viable asset to local and state emergency management officials and first responders in post disaster surveillance.
