Raven UAV get clearance to fly in Italian airspace
AeroVironment Inc. announced on Dec. 15 that the Italian Ministry of Defense's General Directorate for Aircraft Weapon Systems has issued a Military Aircraft Type-Classification Certificate for the Raven B unmanned aircraft system, the first such certificate issued in Italy in the Micro-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle category. This certificate permits Italian military personnel to fly Raven in Italy’s national airspace.
The decision was based, according to an AeroVironment release, on Italian MOD officials' findings that its high reliability, coupled with its semiautonomous behavior, light weight and simple operation make it safe to fly over highly populated areas without limitations.
The Raven is in heavy use by the U.S. Department of Defense, with systems in the hands of the Army and Marine Corps. And in Europe, aside from Italy, the Raven is in the inventory of the Netherlands, Denmark, Australia and Spain.
Posted by Sean Gallagher on Dec 15, 2008 at 8:12 AM