OREM, Utah, April 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- To augment
humanitarian search and rescue efforts, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)
announced it is teaming with Project Lifesaver International and
Loen Engineering Inc., bringing advanced technology to first
response agencies. The Indago small unmanned aerial system (UAS)
will be integrated with an innovative lightweight antenna and
receiver developed by Loen Engineering. The system allows Project
Lifesaver agencies and first responders to rapidly locate special
needs individuals who have wandered from their homes.
"Using the Project Lifesaver location device with aviation
assets will extend search areas from approximately one and a half
miles to well over seven miles," said Gene
Saunders, chief executive officer and founder of Project
Lifesaver International. "Integrating Lockheed Martin's
Indago with the Project Lifesaver capability is a game changer for
Project Lifesaver agencies because it offers an affordable
alternative to manned aviation assets and can be used by any first
responder agency."
First responders have relied on manned aircraft to conduct
aerial search and rescue operations, and the Indago reduces the
response time and increases the efficiency of search efforts when
time is critical. The five-pound, collapsible Indago system can be
stored in the trunk of any squad car and deployed within a matter
of minutes.
"This partnership opens the aperture for unmanned systems to be
used in critical search and rescue situations that aid public
safety agencies with the important humanitarian mission targeting
high-risk individuals," said Dave
Pringle, general manager of Lockheed Martin Procerus
Technologies. "Indago's ability to provide an eye-in-the-sky in
just minutes enables first responders to increase their
effectiveness in locating wandering persons and reuniting them with
their families."
Indago is a proven, reliable and easy to operate quad rotor
small UAS that requires no assembly. Coupling the Project Lifesaver
antenna and control elements with the Indago system expands signal
detectability, serves as an airborne relay, and greatly improves
the probability of location success across broad search areas. The
Indago's industry-leading flight time of 45 minutes and
electro-optic infrared gimbaled imager provide high quality data
and enhanced situational awareness for operators to make real-time
decisions. Indago is capable of providing tactical situational
awareness and geo-location to aid in a variety of missions, from
firefighting to precision agriculture to search and rescue.
With five decades of experience in unmanned and robotic systems
for air, land and sea, Lockheed Martin's unmanned systems are
engineered to help our military, civil and commercial customers
accomplish their most difficult challenges today and in the
future.
Headquartered in Bethesda,
Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace
company that employs about 112,000 people worldwide and is
principally engaged in the research, design, development,
manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology
systems, products and services. The Corporation's net sales for
2014 were $45.6 billion.
Project Lifesaver International (PLI) is a 501 (C) (3) community
based, public safety, non-profit organization that provides law
enforcement, fire/rescue, other first responders and caregivers
with equipment and training to quickly locate and rescue
individuals with cognitive disorders who are prone to the life
threatening behavior of wandering, including those with Alzheimer's
disease, Autism, and Down syndrome. To date Project Lifesaver
agencies have conducted over 2,965 successful rescues. Most
who wander are found within a few miles from home, and search times
have been reduced from hours and days to minutes. Recovery times
for PLI clients average 30 minutes — 95% less time than standard
operations.
Loen Engineering, based in Victoria,
BC, Canada, designs and
manufactures radio frequency products, and provides creative
engineering design and solutions to clients throughout North America.
For additional information, visit our website:
www.lockheedmartin.com/auvsi
Follow us on Twitter @LockheedMartin
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin