ScanEagle
Matt Buxton
JUNEAU — As lawmakers kicked off the first day of a special session on complicated oil taxes and in-state gas line policy on Wednesday, they also got to check out some very cool gadgets.
Unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, researcher Greg Walker of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute stopped by the capitol to show off a variety of pint-sized research helicopters, planes and military-grade gliders.
While going in and out of floor sessions, lawmakers got a chance to check out the UAVs that are tested at the Geophysical Institute’s Poker Flat Research Range for a variety of applications including sea ice research, to volcanoes, wildfires and even law enforcement.
“Our mission so far has been to help people have interest in the technology figure what aircraft is the right aircraft to solve their problem,” he said. “We’re not a one trick pony.”
Mention of “Military Grade gliders” I guess in these lean times when even the military are strapped for cash for fuel, rubber- catapault launched gliders could suffice for local area surveillance?