Cutters to get ScanEagles

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Coast Guard will equip National Security Cutter ships with ScanEagle unmanned aircraft, including the cutter Decisive that arrived at Naval Air Station Pensacola in June. Decisive is one of four cutters expected to change homeports to Pensacola this year. The drones have aided the Coast Guard in the interdiction of $1.5B worth of cocaine and heroin off the coasts of Central and South America. The drone weighs 40 pounds and can fly up to 20 hours. The aircraft can also provide aide in disaster relief efforts like it did in Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. (Source: WEAR-TV, 06/22/18)