Singapore Army Introduces Vesper Tactical Drone
10 September 2024
Vantage Robotics Vesper drone (photos: Singapore Army)
Our Army is introducing a new tactical surveillance drone (Vesper) to enhance our soldiers’ situational awareness on the battlefield.
The Vesper by Vantage Robotics, which was evaluated and procured in partnership with DSTA Defence Science and Technology Agency, is a highly-portable quadcopter drone, which transmits high quality video feed to the Ground Control Station (GCS).
Check out our soldiers from the 5th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (5 SIR) leading the charge with the Vesper during the recent Exercise Panther Strike!
The Vesper is a quadcopter drone designed and developed by Vantage Robotics. It is an all-weather drone that provides aerial surveillance capability for our soldiers in the battlefield. The Vesper can be employed in a free flying or tethered mode for persistent surveillance operations.
The Infantry Scouts team is launching the Vesper to conduct aerial surveillance on the objective before the arrival of the Infantry forces.
Within 90 seconds, the drones are deployed from its carrying case and launched. With the collected information, Commanders are able make adjustments to their operational plans to enhance mission success.
The Vesper has two low-light cameras and an Infra-Red (IR) sensor with 4K resolution and 48x zoom for both day and night operations, capable of detecting targets even in dark environments.
Mounted on a three-axis stabilised gimbal, the Vesper can transmit Full HD (1080p) live video feed to the Ground Control Station (GCS) even in low-light conditions.
The Infantry forces have arrived and launched the Vesper from their Forming-Up Place (FUP) to support their assault!
With a max speed of 20m/s (72km/h), low noise signature equivalent to that of a whisper (<32dBA at 25m), and 50 minutes flight time, the Infantry forces are able to maintain surveillance on the objective even as the assault begins.
When enemy reinforcements are spotted, the Company Commander sends a team to interdict them.
With the drone flying skills that we’ve learnt from the Basic Vertical Take Off and Landing UAV Operator Course (BVOC) and the Vesper’s intuitive controls, I was able to operate the drone effectively within a short amount of time. Using the Vesper during Ex Panther Strike was a breeze!
In terms of its features, I like the magnetic snap-on components that allow us to easily replace the various parts of the Vesper in the battlefield. Most importantly, I am glad that it is lightweight!
The battlefield is constantly evolving, especially in the urban environment. During Ex Panther Strike, the Vesper provided a new aerial surveillance capability at the tactical level, giving Commanders a higher degree of situational awareness to effectively deploy our troops to achieve mission success.
Training and operating with drones at the tactical level is a new frontier for our Army. I am excited to be part of this journey and looking forward to the new operational benefits that the Vesper provides!
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