MANILA: Government forces used drones to conduct spying operations against rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) who figured in the Zamboanga crisis last September.
Army spokesman Capt Anthony Bacus said the unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAS) can provide real-time imagery intelligence and video feed from an area with a range of three to seven kilometres. He said the range could be extended to up to 50 kilometres.
“The UAS had been instrumental in the successful conduct of operations against the rogue MNLF rebels in Zamboanga City last September that led to the surrender and arrest of several MNLF fighters under Nur Misuari,” Bacus said yesterday.
The drones, which were developed by the Army last year, complements the troops’ human intelligence and signals intelligence capability being used in surveillance and disaster response efforts. Footages from drones help ground commanders make crucial decisions on important matters like troop deployment.
The unmanned aerial vehicles were among the items displayed in the Army booth that was set up in Camp Aguinaldo for the military’s 78th anniversary.
Each drone is equipped with a 12 mega pixel camera and weighs about 2.1 kilogrammes. It has a wing span of 178 centimetres and an altitude of 1,000 feet.
The Philippine star
