Banshee jet powered drone delivered to the Royal Navy
Banshee jet powered drone delivered to the Royal Navy.
The British Royal Navy has taken delivery of the jet powered Banshee 80+ drone developed by defense company QinetiQ.
The remote piloted air system is equipped with a twin turbine engine and launched by a 60 foot pneumatic launcher. they can simulate enemy aircraft attacks as they reach speeds of up to 400 m per hour and have a range of 60 miles.
The drone was originally developed for use as a target to simulate incoming missiles and was previously tested on the aircraft carrier HMS Prince Of Wales in 2021.
Lieutenant Commander of Naval Air Squadron 700X, Lieutenant Commander Martin Howard said the new aircrew based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose would maintain and operate its own drone fleet safely.
We have already established the use of RPAS on Royal Navy ships in deployment, but the introduction of the Banshee marks a revolutionary step forward in terms of technology.
The important point to make is that we are not weaponizing this system. Instead it will be a vehicle that will allow the navy to test different types of sensors.
The most important thing for me is that people are at the heart of this company. At the NAS 700X we build the skills and knowledge of these technologies that are key to moving forward.
The drone controller uses a ground station to operate the aircraft and access onboard cameras or other sensors, before the Banshee turns off its engines and uses a parachute to float to the ground.
The Royal Navys first Banshee flight commander, Lieutenant Tony Nairn, was an air engineer and anti-submarine warfare helicopter crew for 17 years before he was commissioned as an officer.
One of the challenges of RPAS is the speed of technology development. Therefore, it is very important for us to be able to change direction quickly, while maintaining the core principle of safe operation. Its really about adaptability and flexibility.
RNAS Culdrose Commander Capt. Stuart Irwin said the Navy Banshees first test flight was expected to be held at Predannack Airfield near RNAS Culdrose in the summer.
The NAS 700X not only operates unmanned systems for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, but is also a pathfinder squadron, conducting trials on these air systems for defense.