RE: RAF drone19 Apr 2023 18:07
Kill at 4 miles..........
The new British-produced drones have shown their ability to drop grenades on tanks while hovering above.
The eight-rotor "JACKAL" drone can now launch 35lb missiles and hit targets within a range of up to four miles.
Flyby Technology in York developed the drone while the missiles come from Thales in Northern Ireland capital Belfast - with the thumbs-up coming from the RAF's Rapid Capabilities Office.
Video footage released by Thales showed an aircraft taking off vertically while tethered to the ground - before revealing the drone launching at a nearby test target.
Flyby founder and chief executive Jon Parker, a former RAF pilot himself, said: "We can sit in tops of trees and shoot from a distance without being detected.
"The beauty of the aircraft is it is as quick as a manned helicopter in flight.
"We can shoot in the hover position or on the move. So we can chase a target and fire at the same time.
"The days of having a fighter pilot in the ****pit are numbered. Warfare is changing and Jackal is part of that future."
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/22091779/raf-helicopter-jackal-drones/