LIGHTWEIGHT AEROSTAT SYSTEM (LAS)
A New Communications Relay and Surveillance Capability For Homeland Security
Low Cost, Long Mission Duration, Minimum Manpower

1.0 BACKGROUND There is a pressing Homeland Security, law enforcement and emergency response
need for a low cost, responsive, and mobile equipment for resilient and durable communications after an
event responsible for the loss or serious degradation of existing communications systems (e.g., due to a
natural disaster, major incident, or terrorist act). Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, the
Coast Guard and Border Patrol also need overhead EO/IR surveillance of outdoor venues, VIP events,
border crossings, seaports, airports, etc. that is both less costly and intrusive than helicopters, while
providing around the clock coverage.
The most efficient means of meeting both these requirement is a low cost, mobile aerostat system.
However, traditional aerostats are large, manpower intensive and cannot operate in adverse weather
conditions. This has limited their use to a few fixed sites flying large aerostats. Carolina Unmanned
Vehicles (CUV) has developed the Lightweight Aerostat System (LAS), a solution that removes these
limitations, resulting in a small, mobile and very cost effective system.

See pdf attachment for full paper.