Multicopters are expanding their usage areas day by day thanks to their mobility and manoeuvrability and payload capacities.
Lockheed Martin, one of the leading defence companies of the USA, has signed a multicopter acquisition agreement with Switzerland. In this context, Armasuisse (Swiss Federal Defence Procurement Unit) will acquire Indago 3 Group 1 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from the company for armed forces use. Lockheed Martin CDL Systems VCSi Touch small-sized UAV ground control system software, integrated Swiss maps and digital terrain elevation data systems will be integrated into the platforms, which are stated to be subject to some optimisation studies according to the country's requirements.
It is stated that the first batch systems will be transferred to the user towards the end of the year, while the remaining UAVs are expected to be delivered in 2021. Indago 3s that can perform tasks such as reconnaissance, surveillance, information gathering, search-rescue, natural disaster reliefs and combat damage-casualty detection; Depending on the task configuration, it has endurance up to 50 minutes and reach a 10 km maximum distance. Systems that are declared capable of serving in the windy environment; it can be used even in ambient conditions at -34 to +49 degrees Celsius.
