The DDS have begun to use 3 new UAVs as part of the "uparming" of the DDS land and air forces. The DDS Army has started to use 2 UAVs.
The Raven MPSD (Man Portable Spotter Drone) RQ-9L, is a small drone for surveillance and artillery spotting. The Raven is a MAV with a 10cm wingspan but has infrared and enhanced vision cameras and a flying time of 2 hours. The Raven can provide datalinks direct to the DDS' artillery and also F-10 bombers. Data can also be transmitted to troops in the field with visual data being displayed in the troops combat glasses or to handheld receivers.
The Osprey FSD (Field Surveillance Drone) RQ-10A is a larger (3m wingspan) UAV that can stay aloft for up to 24 hours. Like the Raven the Osprey has a range of visual sensors though has also electronic "sniffing" sensors. It can also provide datalinks to a variety of platforms. The Osprey is launched off a catapult rail on the back of a specially equipped truck. It is later recovered after landing using a parachute.
The DDS Air Force has also started using a UAV. The Flash NRD (NBC Reconnaissance Drone) RQ-12N is based on the Osprey platform but has been enlarged to enable it to take-off and land from runways. It contains a number of sensors for NBC reconnaissance to detect NBC contamination. It is being used on Loeuss to help map irradiated hotspots (the Utrek used chemical weapons in some battles).
In the longer term the air force are developing a UCAV to supplement aerial attack assets (the F-10 and later on the NDAA). This is the LLAD (Long Loiter Attack Drone) MQ-14 but it is expected in service from 2110.
