The US Civil Air Patrol (CAP), a civilian auxiliary of the US Air Force, is to operate 15 Gippsland GA-8 Airvans for search and rescue missions equipped with a new hyperspectral imaging system. Designed by Space Commuter, the system can detect objects from the air more reliably than comparable systems. The equipment detects man-made and other objects including vehicles, aircraft debris, oil spills and marijuana while flying over areas of interest. Portable ground stations will allow operators to review recorded imagery. The CAP performs 95% of US inland search and rescue missions covering homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions.
Source: Flight International