Hood River, OR, United States, August 02, 2013 -- A recent UAV drug discovery and bust during a US Coast Guard “demo” began with a Hood Tech launcher.

From: Hood Tech Corp Mechanical, Inc., Hood River, Oregon
Date: August 1, 2013
Subject: Old Superwedge Launcher from Hood Technology Puts UAV in Air for Cocaine Bust
Contact: Cory Roeseler, Hood Tech Corp Mechanical, Inc., 541-387-2255, [email protected]

A Hood Tech launcher recently led to a major US Coast Guard success. During a technology demonstration of UAV use, the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf, using the UAV and its sensor suite (also developed by Hood Tech), discovered and intercepted a “suspected go-fast vessel”. The result was a haul of nearly 600 kilograms of cocaine.

(http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/newsroom/updates/uas070213.asp)

The flight began with the successful UAV launch from one of Hood Tech’s oldest Superwedge launchers. The long-endurance UAV was equipped with special imagers for surveillance.

“A testament to the robustness of the Hood Tech design and workmanship, this old workhorse continues to provide excellent service in the harsh maritime environment,” noted a Hood Tech representative. “We’re proud to have contributed to yet another successful Coast Guard mission.”

When in 2002 Hood Tech began producing innovative UAV launchers and retrieval systems for small UAVs, those innovations enabled the elimination of runways for launch and retrieval. 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

Contact:
Cory Roeseler
Hood Tech
3100 Cascade
Hood River, OR 97031
541-387-2255
[email protected]
http://www.hoodtech.com/