The U.S. Marine Corps has started equipping infantry units with small quadcopters, according to a NAVAIR press release.
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ryan Skinner, assistant patrol leader, with Company Bravo, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment prepares to fly the Mark-2 Instant Eye during the Infantry Platoon Battle Course as part of a Deployment for Training (DFT) on Fort Pickett, VA., August 15, 2017. The Instant Eye is a small unmanned aerial system used to be deployed at the squad level for quick and local surveillance and reconnaissance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Michaela R. Gregory)
Each infantry battalion will be equipped with InstantEye Nano-VTOLs, PD-100 Black Hornet micro-VTOLs, commercial off the shelf (COTS) systems and communications relay payloads under phase one of the program.
A slightly larger VTOL system will be added under phase two.
