U.S. military to try out throwable cameras

Jake Widman
Friday, 21 August 2009 02:23

Your IT - Home IT

Some United States forces in Afghanistan will soon be carrying cameras that can be thrown into places that can't otherwise be seen, hopefully reducing casualties to both soldiers and civilians.

The cameras are part of a high-tech reconnaissance system called Land Warrior, developed by defense contractor General Dynamics.

It is meant to help troops carry out new rules of engagement intended to prevent civilian casualties from air strikes while still protecting soldiers.

The cameras, called "Dragon Eggs," are contained within roughly 4-inch-diameter spheres that are weighted so they right themselves.

A soldier can throw the camera into a building or over a hill to see what's there without being exposed to danger.

The cameras are tied into a head-mounted viewfinder that displays landmarks and known locations of enemy troops and civilians.

Based on the images from the camera, a soldier can mark a no-fire area (or, presumably, a target) on the map, which is then distributed via a linked computer, radio, and satellite to vehicles and other soldiers carrying the system.

An earlier Land Warrior program was terminated, in part because soldiers didn't like the extra 17 pounds the system added to their gear. The new system is a relatively svelte 7.2 pounds.