Menet Aero participated in the Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) from Jan. 23 to Feb. 29, 2024, at Fort Moore, GA. It showcased its Independence tethered unmanned aircraft system (TeUAS), which provided communications support to a multi-national military exercise by flying the Trellisware Ghost 875 radio and camera at 200 feet to establish a positive network connection.
AEWE included live fires, simulations and force-on-force engagements to validate new technologies for soldiers use on the current and future battlefield. The Independence served as a communications hub and ISR platform to maintain communications throughout “Green Team” and provided early warning of “Red Team” activity. Menet Aero Field Service Representatives trained ally soldiers from the British Army on set up and operation of the Independence and provided onsite support during the month-long exercise.
“We were excited to have this opportunity to get our technology in the hands of soldiers and tested on the battlefield during this experiment,” said Peter Menet, Menet Aero Founder & CEO. “Operating our systems as variable height antennas supporting Trellisware Ghost radios enabled the capability to be deployed and repositioned within minutes, making it an agile communications and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) asset on the battlefield.”
The Independence system is comprised of an air vehicle (AV), approximately 46 inches in diameter; a ground control unit (GCU), which manages the tether that provides power and communications to the AV; and a ground control station (GCS) used to control the system. It was powered by a portable 120-volt generator for this exercise, but it also can be powered by a vehicle inverter or grid/shore power. The Independence is payload agnostic and can fly multiple payloads up to 2 pounds and keep them in the air indefinitely when provided continuous power through the tether. The Independence can be transported and operated by one person.