Hood River, OR, USA, June 27, 2014 -- Hood Tech’s innovative launchers form part of the UAV system that has just joined the British Navy aboard HMS Somerset in the Persian Gulf. The system is lauded by the British Minister of Defence.

From: Hood Tech Corp Mechanical, Inc., Hood River, Oregon
Date: June 26, 2014
Subject: Hood Tech UAV Launchers “Play Crucial Role”
Contact: Cory Roeseler, Hood Tech Corp Mechanical, Inc., 541 387-2255, [email protected]

Hood Tech’s UAV launchers have joined the British Navy in the Persian Gulf (http://www.suasnews.com/2014/06/29747/royal-navys-new-eyes-in-the-sky/?utm_source=sUAS+News+Daily&utm_campaign=0160536836-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b3c0776dde-0160536836-303664173), evoking strong enthusiasm from their operators. “The system …launched by a pneumatic catapult from Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, is unarmed and used for real-time intelligence-gathering and reconnaissance only.” “Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said,

‘This is the first time we have operated an unmanned air system on maritime operations, heralding a new era of aviation and intelligence-gathering in the Royal Navy ... (This UAV) will play a crucial role in operations and humanitarian missions not only in the Gulf but also on Royal Navy vessels right across the globe, further underlining our commitment to invest in innovative capabilities.’”

“Commander Mike Smith, commanding officer of HMS Somerset, said,

…“‘It’s been an exciting project to be involved in and the system’s arrival will fundamentally change the way we operate, making HMS Somerset more effective right across the diverse range of operational roles we can perform; be that counter-piracy, counter-narcotics, disaster relief or war-fighting.’”

When in 2002 Hood Tech began producing innovative UAV launchers and retrieval systems for small UAVs, those innovations enabled the elimination of runways. This freed aircraft for shipboard use, for deployment in irregular or disrupted landscapes, and for other difficult locations. Showing their ruggedness and reliability, Hood Tech launchers have initiated tens of thousands of flights under the extreme environments of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and aboard ships in the oceans around the globe.

Dr. Andy von Flotow founded Hood Technology in Hood River, Oregon in 1992. In addition to the design and manufacture of launch systems, Hood Technology:

Provides zip test services for pre-flight safety verification of experimental aircraft and components.
Owns and maintains a silent wind tunnel for measuring UAV engine and prop noise in accordance with MILSTD1474.
Develops, tests, and manufactures stabilized imaging systems for a variety of UAVs
Monitors blade vibrations in industrial turbines and jet engines, a diagnostic method for predicting possible future failures.

The Hood Tech web site is: www.hoodtech.com

Contact:
Cory Roeseler
Hood Tech
135 Country Club Road, Building A
Hood River, OR 97031
5413872255
[email protected]
http://www.hoodtech.com