Bio & cnem security

Army goes aerial in search for bio-chem threats

Drones already provide eyes in the sky for soldiers in the field, but a new Army program aims to add another sense or two. 

Researchers with Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center tested a quadcopter dubbed Deep Purple during the SK Challenge at Utah's Dugway Proving Ground last month, joining dozens of other developers trying out hardware against simulated chemical agents. 

Chemical sensors on the drone were able to detect such an agent, researches found. A biological-agent sensor also succeeded, but did so while mounted to an unmanned Mobile Detection Assessment and Response System vehicle, known as MDARS.