I don’t know which country’s ScanEagle Iran snatched out of the air in the past few days. But of all the drones flying around, the ScanEagle seems to be the only one with a wing hook that makes it easy to grab.
In fact, the ScanEagle is designed not to land, but to be captured by a 15-foot arresting line attached to a boom on a ship. The technology was originally developed for use on fishing boats.
So maybe Iran has captured a high-tech fishing aid. Or, maybe it has snagged a surveillance drone operated by a bunch of countries besides the United States, including Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland or United Arab Emirates.
Bob Brewin
Bob Brewin joined Government Executive in April 2007, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience as a journalist focusing on defense issues and technology. Bob covers the world of defense and information technology for Nextgov, and is the author of the “What’s Brewin” blog.
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