Diamond DA 42M-NG Twin Star c/n 42.MN.001 PH-VIG is used to train "groundpilots" in piloting unmanned aircraft or UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), more popularly known as "drones" . The aircraft is seen here in one of the hangars at Eindhoven air base in The Netherlands (EHEH) on 5 September 2012. According to the website of operator Vigilance (hence the VIG in the registration), the aircraft is a "surrogate UAV". It is flown with a pilot on board who can take over if necessary. This makes it possible to negate "the legal restrictions and airspace constraints that are imposed on UAV operations in European airspace", the Vigilance website states. The surrogate UAV service "enables military planners to incorporate UAV and ISR capabilities into military exercises and training activities," the website continues. Before it came to The Netherlands, PH-VIG was registered in Austria as OE-VMN and OE-VDP.
The registration PH-VIG was used earlier for one of KLM's Vickers Viscounts. The earlier PH-VIG went to Aer Lingus in 1966 as EI-AOM and crashed into the Irish Sea on 24 March 1968 with 61 fatalities.
Related images in this EnoAeroPics gallery:
See more Diamond aircraft
More information:
The website of Diamond PH-VIG operator Vigilance
See the most recent EnoAeroPics images on Flightglobal/AirSpace here
See all EnoAeroPics images on Flightglobal/AirSpace here