Japan Coast Guard Launches Operation Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
The Japan Coast Guard has launched operations of an unmanned aerial vehicle to step up its surveillance capabilities in waters around Japan.
The SeaGuardian took off on Wednesday from an airport in Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan.
The UAV was developed by a US defense firm. The coast guard has conducted about 150 hours of test flights.
The aircraft can be remotely piloted from a ground control station. Its high-definition cameras can detect ships and other objects from altitudes of over 3,000 meters, and identify objects at night using infrared rays.
As for safety measures, the UAV can identify approaching aircraft using radar, and automatically avert collisions.
The coast guard says the SeaGuardian can fly more than 24 hours nonstop and send images in real time to have them checked on the ground.
Coast guard officials say they will use the aircraft to help reduce personnel workload, and for maritime surveillance and search-and-rescue operations.
The cost to introduce the aircraft is about 4 billion yen, or 26.8 million dollars. Piloting will be outsourced to keep up with the latest technologies, with coast guard personnel stationed nearby to manage and supervise operations.