tethered aerostats (TA) are highly mobile platforms for communication or aerial surveillance. The primary and most common use of a TA is for remote monitoring of industrial production or areas of concern in large quantities. The cost effective benefits of using a TA includes ease of setup, mobility, portability, less wear and tear on the aircraft, cost savings, flexibility, supportability, reliability, and increased productivity. The following article will give you more information on what a tethered aerostat is and how it is used – Read more
Why being tethered Aerostats Still Being Used by the Military?
How do tethered aerostats work? A tethered aerostat is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is mounted to an existing aircraft. The UAV is equipped with a miniature electric motor to provide electrical power to the aerostat. When an area is under surveillance, the electrical power supply is used to transmit signals to a receiver on the distant site to relay the information. In this way, an area under surveillance can be monitored continuously without relying on cell phone towers or communications lines.
The cost of a tethered aerostat depends on the number of small uavs to be attached. Generally, the cost of each small uav is about $500. Additionally, the size and weight of the small uavs play a role in the cost. Many small as models are capable of being mounted on light aircraft such as gliders, which are highly maneuverable. This makes the tethered aerostats ideal for surveillance over large areas without requiring the use of larger and more expensive UAVs.