Football-sized drone, the Throwbot used by U.S. Air Force to assist base security

According to the press release, the 96th Security Forces Squadron is already equipped with a football-sized drone, called the Throwbot, to assist base security. This unmanned device is a throwable microbot that can record and transmit audio and video to an operator's control unit. The Throwbot can be used in indoor and outdoor situations.

Football-sized drone, called the Throwbot is used by U.S. Air Force to assist base security

With drones becoming more popular and new use cases appearing almost every day, it comes as no surprise that the U.S. Air Force has started to use drones as well. Currently, the 96th Security Forces Squadron has started to use the football-sized drone, also known as the Throwbot.

The Throwbot is an unmanned device that allows a response team to safely assess a situation and make an informed decision that can help save lives and property.

“It took five minutes for me to learn how to use it,” said Leon Gray, 96th SFS, after seeing it demonstrated at trade shows, according to Defence Blog. “It quickly became apparent how our security personnel could utilize this tool in our operations.”

On July 1st, during an iSpark meeting, the acquisition plan for the Throwbot was presented and only nine days later the plan was approved and the football-sized drone was purchased on the same day. The throwable drone will be incorporated into security training exercises and will be evaluated for use in potential life-and-death situations.

As the name suggests, the Throwbot can be thrown over distances of 30 feet and remain operational. The device can crawl over a variety of terrain and when properly equipped it can carry or two up to four pounds of equipment.

The drone has a camera upfront so that the operator can see what the device sees. The control unit has a joystick to control the Throwbot and can also be connected to an external monitor. The Throwbot can see around corners and can move underneath vehicles for inspections.

“We're glad to have the Throwbot as another 96th SFS tool to use in our ever-evolving security mission at Eglin,” Gray said. “It will be especially great to have in emergencies, to help us make informed decisions when seconds count.”

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