My point is that with one sensor on a UAV (FLIR/TV turret I am surmising), you are only able to search what the camera can see (whether in autoscan or manual) and, just like a helicopter, the height and speed will have to be adjusted (along with the track spacing) to match the conditions to what you are searching for.
So we agree it can provide the same as a manned RW platform operating IMC with a sensor suite.
The flexibility of a helicopter vs a UAV is the ability to slow down and go down to investigate possible sightings - a regular part of any search - all the technology and operator training won't match that
The Camcopter trialed by Bristows/HMCG is a RW platform.
A well trained person in a comfy chair miles from the scene will never be as effective as the same person in a helicopter cockpit or cabin actually on scene
I have to disagree. People sat in air conditioned boxes in Creech/Bastion have saved the lives of myself and my colleagues in the past. Just because it’s one sensor with multiple overlays, doesn’t mean it’s only one set of eyes. The human factor of one person scanning an area and finding nothing does not mean there is nothing there.
I used to be like you Crab, always believed in boots on the ground. Then I remembered that “tools in the toolbox” quote and integrated it into the plan rather than just having them on station because they were on the ATO (although UAV operators didn’t tend to gob off as much as manned ISTAR when they were left in the wheel at 10k). It complimented the other assets, but if there was something dodgy going on in two places and I only had one pair of jets/helis, then I tasked UAVs, both big ones with bombs and little hand thrown ones with a camera straight off a 2004 Nokia phone to go and check it out and that further developed the plan. Things that would not have been achieved as quickly with only a manned heli on station no matter how many pairs of eyes were looking out the windows.
But, at the end of the day, you can’t argue tactics and we both have our operational experiences to back our leanings so doubt we will ever agree on this one
