By Sgt. Heath Hamacher

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, Twentynine Palms, Calif. (Feb 10) -- The newest Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is currently undergoing field experiments here aboard the Combat Center with the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab.

The Expendable Drone Unmanned Aerial Vehicle was designed 13 years ago by the John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory as an independent means of carrying a tactical jammer, capable of stopping all radio communication. After years of modification and improvements, it became known as the Dragon Drone.

The Dragon Drone and 14 Marines from VMU-1 are scheduled to be deployed with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit from June-December, the first Marine Corps deployment of a close-range UAV aboard a ship, according to 1stLt. Brian Shortsleeve, VMU-1 S-2 officer and detachment officer-in-charge. In preparation for deployment, VMU-1 has scheduled three exercises, a fleet exercise off the California coast, a joint task force exercise and a military operations urban terrain (MOUT) exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

According to GySgt. Greg Lumpkin, UAV pilot/instructor with the Aviation Department of the Warfighting Lab, Headquarters Marine Corps, the vehicle is 5 feet and 3 inches long and 1 foot and 5 inches in height, with a wing span of 8 feet and 3 inches. At a maximum weight of 100 pounds, the Dragon Drone can carry up to 20 pounds of cargo, such as jammer packages, flares, nuclear, biological and chemical sensors, or day or night cameras with laser range finders.

The drone cruises at a speed of about 85 mph, with a maximum speed of 115 mph. It has a range of 35 nautical miles, according to Lumpkin. He said the vehicle has the programming capability of 100 waypoints, or pre-determined destinations.

The flight crew has five Marines, including a launcher, external pilot, internal pilot, payload operator and a mission commander. With the exception of the external pilot, the crew undergoes 4-6 weeks of training in preparation for flight. Lumpkin said they generally look for pilots with maturity and radio-controlled experience. These pilots undergo approximately 6-8 months of training at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

According to Lumpkin, the Dragon Drone takes less people to operate and is easier to transport and set up than other UAVs such as the Marine Corps Pioneer. While the Dragon Drone operates on a flight crew of five, the Pioneer can easily require 15 or more people, according to Lumpkin.

In addition to providing target location, description and video, the Drone can also locate, monitor and video trouble spots, and send the reconnaissance back to the ground commander. The Dragon Drone can carry and drop sensors, helping monitor enemy movement, as well as lethal or non-lethal payloads.

The drone's capabilities have gotten VMU-1 Marines motivated about the upcoming deployment.

"The Marines are all volunteers, and are all enthusiastic about this ground-breaking deployment," Shortsleeve said. "We have a few exercises scheduled and whatever real-world operations that may come down the pipe."

There are currently five operable Dragon Drones, with 15 more in the works. The Lab's goal is to possess at least 40 drones, according to Lumpkin.
 

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