On Tuesday 19 October, the milestone reached by the aircraft of the ‘Astore’ Task Group: the Predator is a remotely controlled aircraft – called UAV, unmanned aerial vehicle – whose crew is located in a ground station; it can fly up to 8,000 meters above the ground for more than 20 consecutive hours. Sensors installed on the aircraft allow operators to take electro-optical and infrared images of the territory, which are transmitted in real time to an operator on the ground who interprets them. Low visibility, long persistence on the target and no risk to personnel involved in mission management are the characteristics that make the Predator an ideal airborne asset for surveillance of high-risk areas. Captain Claudio Ariotto, Commander of the ‘Astore’ Task Group, emphasized that “thanks to its characteristics, the aircraft allows for convoy escorting over long distances and its use on many occasions has directly and effectively supported the military’s action on the ground.”.
