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So the Coast Guard acquired 20 Aerovironment WASP III systems from the Marine Corps last year to test them out on smaller cutters (those without their own helo decks) such as the new 154-foot Sentinel class, 87-foot Maritime Protector class and so forth.

If you are unfamiliar with the WASP, its one of the smaller unmanned air vehicles (UAV- drones) out there and in fact the manufacturer calls them a “micro air vehicle.” WASP is used by the Marines down to the company level and by USAF Combat Controllers/TACP guys to see what’s just over the horizon. The WASP III is equipped with an internal Global Positioning System / Inertial Navigation System, autopilot and two onboard cameras. The entire system can function autonomously from takeoff to recovery, or be controlled by one operator using a handheld remote control unit. A little over 2-feet in wingspan and 1.25-feet long, these 1-pound UAVs can fly up to 40mph and putter out to about 2 nautical miles away.

Lt. j.g David Steele from Sector Miami Response prepares to launch a WASP III while Dr. Andrew Niccolai and Timothy Ledbetter man the ground control station. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Luke Clayton (Click to big up)

From the Coast Guard’s blog:

Testing conditions the first day were optimal with seas less than one foot and minimal relative winds. Niccolai and Timothy Ledbetter, both from the Coast Guard RDC, successfully launched the WASP off the starboard bow, and the aircraft soared into the sky, marking the first time a sUAS deployed from a non-flight deck equipped cutter. The ground control station was able to receive real-time video from the wing-mounted cameras. After a 30-minute flight, the WASP was brought in for a water landing off the starboard beam, and the cutter’s crew recovered the aircraft and prepped a second airframe for launch.