Army Issues New Manual on Unmanned Aerial Systems
The U.S. Army has issued a new manual (large pdf) on unmanned aerial systems (UAS), which are increasingly used in a wide spectrum of reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting missions.
UAS include what were formerly referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), plus their payloads and support systems.
The new Army manual includes fresh information on Army UAS programs and operations.
A copy of the unclassified manual was obtained by Secrecy News.
See “Army Unmanned Aircraft System Operations,” Field Manual Interim FMI 3-04.155, dated 4 April 2006 (183 pages in a large 9 MB PDF file).
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There is no question this is a Big Deal. If you are a university or research lab, or aspire to work in one, or are simply an enthusiast of federally-funded research, what’s next will matter.