Seaweed High Altitude Support Drone
The Seaweed drone is designed to be a substitute for a satellite network for planets with underdeveloped orbital infrastructure. While it is lightly armed, its primary responsibility is acting as relay node for radio communication.
Overview
Class: Seaweed High Altitude Drone
Operators: The Magnetic Assembly
Manufacturer: The Magnetic Assembly
Introduced 2321
Length: 5m
Diameter: 30m
Crew: 0
Propulsion:
x2 Fusion-thermal lightbulb jet engines
Maximum Acceleration: 1g
Range: ~2 months of operation before resupply
Communications:
radio network system
laser communication system
Sensors:
Ground facing optical sensors
Ground facing radar
Armament:
Ground facing laser system
Cargo Capacity:
4 small-sized weapon bays
Operators: The Magnetic Assembly
Manufacturer: The Magnetic Assembly
Introduced 2321
Length: 5m
Diameter: 30m
Crew: 0
Propulsion:
x2 Fusion-thermal lightbulb jet engines
Maximum Acceleration: 1g
Range: ~2 months of operation before resupply
Communications:
radio network system
laser communication system
Sensors:
Ground facing optical sensors
Ground facing radar
Armament:
Ground facing laser system
Cargo Capacity:
4 small-sized weapon bays
History
Over the last century, the problem of setting up radio networks and satellite support for exploratory groups has been handled by high altitude drones. Unlike low orbiting satellites, these drones can stay directly overhead of a group to provide constant support. Unlike satellites in geosynchronous orbit they can remain close enough to the surface to act as a radio relay for those on the ground.
The Seaweed is the latest of these drones, starting to replace the spirit drones that had been in use for decades throughout the American Union. The New Years Revolution on Hawking provided the Magnetic Assembly an opportunity to redesign the flying-wing spirit to be more suited for their operations. It was designed to be put together in sections so that it can be more easily carried within exploratory craft like The Edward Deming, and rudimentary missile-defense was included to help protect the craft when operating over New Cambridge where there is constant risk of attacks from Grawla.
The Seaweed is the latest of these drones, starting to replace the spirit drones that had been in use for decades throughout the American Union. The New Years Revolution on Hawking provided the Magnetic Assembly an opportunity to redesign the flying-wing spirit to be more suited for their operations. It was designed to be put together in sections so that it can be more easily carried within exploratory craft like The Edward Deming, and rudimentary missile-defense was included to help protect the craft when operating over New Cambridge where there is constant risk of attacks from Grawla.
Layout
The Seaweed is a long, straight, flying wing optimized for high altitude flight. Embedded engines are kept above the wing to minimize the radar returns on the craft from below, and the center of the wing houses a large optic which serves as both a laser weapon system and the primary optical sensor of the drone.