Lockheed Martin aids in post-cyclone damage assessment

A small unmanned aerial vehicle from Lockheed Martin successfully provided damage assessment intelligence in Vanuatu following Cyclone Pam.

The UAV, called Indago, was taken to the South Pacific nation in March by Heliwest of Australia at the request of the Vanuatu government and the World Bank.

It performed damage assessment and mapping missions for a period of two weeks.

"In the wake of Cyclone Pam, the Indago was able to navigate through the destruction and provide an accurate picture of damaged property and assets," said Jay McConville, director of business development for Unmanned Integrated Solutions at Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training. "The Indago can work day and night to augment disaster relief efforts and humanitarian aid missions to help save lives and begin the recovery process."

The vertical takeoff UAV weighs five pounds, has an endurance of more than 45 minutes and a range of as much as three miles when operated with a handheld controller. It comes with a variety of payloads, including high-resolution video.