20 Desert Hawk systems are being used in Afghanistan and Iraq, by the USAF and RAF personnel, to augment the protection of airbase perimeters, searching for suspected vehicles and people with shoulder-fired missiles lurking to attack aircraft. Desert Hawk can fly at altitudes of less than 330 m' and can see about 10 kilometers beyond the perimeter of the base.
The plane can be directed to circle over an area of interest, or the operator can alter its flight path while the plane is in the air. Its payloads comprise of interchangeable systems, including an infrared thermal imaging system for night use, or a set of three color cameras for daylight.
The plane is made of a mold-injected polypropylene foam, which looks very similar to styrofoam but is much more durable. It is powered by an electric motor driving a pusher propeller. The UAV is launched by two persons, who attach a bungee cord to it, extend the cord to about 100 m and then simply let the UAV go.
