Honeywell’s T-Hawk Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) is helping emergency workers atJapan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility get up-close video and photos inside the plant as they work to limit further radiation releases.
Three Honeywell employees, trained to fly the unmanned T-Hawks remotely, have flown five successful missions and captured hours of video and dozens of photos of the nuclear reactor. The four T-Hawks in service at Fukushima Daiichi have been adapted to carry radiation sensors.
Just 14 inches in diameter, the T- Hawk can be flown into tight spaces where humans and other aircraft cannot go. Currently deployed in war zones inIraqandAfghanistan, the T-Hawk features unique hover-and-stare capability that enables pilots to hold it in one place and zoom in on features inside the damaged reactors while the T-Hawk sends live video and still images back to recovery workers. The T-Hawk also is capable of sending live in-flight video feeds to help workers focus on critical areas and adjust direction mid-flight. Pilots can control T-Hawk cameras to alter angles and get better views of damaged equipment.
For more information, read the press release.
