Kansas Guard tests unmannned cargo craft
Snowgoose is not well known in the United States, but ask the special forces; craft uses a parachute to slow down and unload up to 600 pounds of supplies
The Snowgoose is not the most well-known of UAVs, but considering how often other drones make the news just from crashing, its anonymity may be a compliment. Designed by Canada-based Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology , the Snowgoose is the world’s first cargo UAV in the field and is used primarily to deliver supplies swiftly and accurately to special forces units far from their home bases. “It’s ugly, but it’s very functional,” said pilot Chuck Jarnot, noting that the craft can carry 600 pounds of cargo, stay in the air for twenty hours, and relies on a deployable parachute to slow down and make its deliveries. Other possible functions include the ability to broadcast messages during emergencies and re-establish cell phone networks, which is why the Kansas National Guard is now considering buying a few Snowgeese of its own. It’s a big decision — MMIST typically sells the drones in pairs for $800,000 — and so the Kansas Guard is currently putting them through its paces in the Smoky Hill Weapons Range. If they decide against buying them, Guard officials say they may consider a lease.
