North Carolina Wing Adds 10 State-Provided Drones

In control

The North Carolina Wing has expanded its small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) mission capabilities after receiving 10 military-grade Teal 2 drones provided the state Division of Emergency Management.

“The North Carolina Wing drone program grew by leaps and bounds this weekend with the introduction of the Teal 2 drones,” Capt. Robert Rimmer, the wing’s director of operations for unmanned aerial vehicles, said after a training session May 6-7.

The wing’s unmanned fleet previously consisted of four drones.

“This is an exciting time for the North Carolina Wing,” said Capt. Ralph Newcomb, the wing’s assistant director of operations for unmanned aerial vehicles. The new drones mean the wing can 
assist the citizens across North Carolina and neighboring states when needed for any request, from search and rescue to post-disaster assessments.”

The Teal 2 – designed by Teal Drones, a subsidiary of military technology company Red Cat Holdings Inc.— is a compact, rugged drone. The 2.75-pound craft provides highest-resolution thermal imaging optimized for nighttime operations. It has a top flight speed of 22 mph and a flight time of 30 minutes per battery.

“Our partnership with the North Carolina Wing s a great example of how technology developed for military purposes can also be used for civilian purposes – helping to keep Americans safe at home,” said George Matus, Teal Drones founder and CEO.

Wing members devoted classroom hours May 6 to learning about the drones and associated software, then flew the aircraft May 7.
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Capt. Brent Wooters
Commander
Dan River Composite Squadron
North Carolina Wing