General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A remotely piloted aircraft have been deployed to support search and rescue efforts in Texas following deadly flooding in the southern US region.
Authorities from the Texas Military Department say the uncrewed aircraft are operated by the Houston-based 147th Attack Wing of the Air National Guard.
The MQ-9s are being used to monitor the area around Kerr County, where heavy rain and flash floods have killed more than 100 people in recent days, including at least 28 children.
“The unarmed MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft has tremendous technological capabilities to gather high-resolution imagery and assess the impact of flooding in surrounding areas,” Texas state officials say.
While more commonly known for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in combat environments, the MQ-9’s electro-optical/infrared live video sensor and long endurance loitering capability offer significant advantages to natural disaster response, when air assets are limited and ground search teams are hindered by local conditions.
“I know we often think of these aircraft for their combat relevance, and we debate survivability and payloads relentlessly, but the MQ-9 really shines in surveillance missions for natural disasters, search and rescue, and other civilian responses,” says C. Mark Brinkley, chief communications strategist for General Atomics. “Nothing else comes close for a situation like this.”
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the Texas Army National Guard have also responded to the deadly floods, airlifting more than 360 individuals to safety, according to state emergency responders.
Aircrews from US Coast Guard stations around Texas are also participating in the effort, including MH-65 rescue helicopters and HC-144 maritime patrol turboprops, both Airbus products. The Coast Guard says it has assisted in the evacuation of more than 230 individuals.
That service is in the process of adding uncrewed aircraft to its aviation inventory, which supports both search and rescue missions and law enforcement. Earlier this year the USCG trialed the use of an AV Puma (operated as the RQ-20 by the US Navy and US Marine Corps) in the maritime search and rescue role.
The Coast Guard recently received some $266 million from a mammoth US government spending package to acquire long-range uncrewed aircraft.
