Aboard the USS Rushmore, Philippines Sea. (October 19, 2022): It looks like a flying saucer from outer space. To the Sailors and Marines aboard American warships, it is an omnipotent creature, able to see and report over great distances gathering vital information that saves lives.

The V-BAT Drone, manufactured by the advanced aviation technology company Martin UAV, is a platform for intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance that requires no launch equipment, making the system ideal for expeditionary operations. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) takes off and lands vertically and has both military and commercial applications. In the civilian world, the V-BAT is used for monitoring border security, firefighting, disaster response, and even oil and gas exploration.

For military servicemembers at sea, the V-BAT offers a flexible, survivable vehicle that can fly at speeds up to fifty-five miles per hour and operates 11 hours before refueling. The system is simple to assemble and launch and it lands on either static or moving platforms. The V-BAT can switch from take-off mode to vertical hover during flight and is programmable to operate autonomously for an entire mission.

The aircraft is light, 124 pounds including fuel and payload, and sports the latest optics including infrared cameras to captures images in real-time for commanders at sea. The drone has image stabilization and high-speed thermal imaging to capture accurate photos and video of enemy units miles away from the operator.

For America’s naval forces, the V-BAT gives commanders a bird’s eye view of enemy ship locations and troop concentrations on land well in advance of any encounter. For Sailors and Marines aboard ship, the V-BAT offers intelligence and surveillance of potential targets giving raiders an edge in combat.

You can give servicemembers, like these, a boost in morale by donating to Support Our Troops’ Patriot Brigade^®, joining thousands of Americans who make monthly donations to pay for comfort items and recreational programs for our military deployed overseas. Go to our secure website https://supportourtroops.org/donate to contribute to America’s finest today!