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IN PHOTO: A small remote controlled drone is shown in Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House, in this U.S. Secret Service photograph released in Washington May 14, 2015. According to the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Uniformed Division officers observed the craft flying over Lafayette Park at approximately 100 feet in altitude, and an individual was detained and instructed to land the drone. REUTERS/U.S. Secret Service//Handout via Reuters

The Pentagon has unveiled new disposable drones which can eavesdrop behind enemy lines, follow the tornado and even monitor traffic. These drones resemble paper planes but are outfitted with state of the art electronic sensors which can sniff out chemical weapons to changes in temperature.

The Covert Disposable Autonomous Aircraft, popularly referred to as the CICADAS are the latest innovation unveiled at the Pentagon lab day. According to the Christian science monitor, the Cicada is “the smallest, simplest and lowest cost air vehicle around.” These are saucer shaped disposable paper plane look alikes equipped with pressure, temperature and humidity sensors. Aaron Kahn, the flight control engineer at the naval research laboratory says that the CICADA has a modem which uses the cellphone network and can transmit data so effectively that “you can tell if a car went by.”

Engineers at the Naval Research Laboratory told Agence France-Presse that the cost for mass production of CICADAs would come down to USD 250 a piece making it an extremely cost effective proposition. Even though it looks very delicate, the CICADA is extremely robust and has successfully flown through trees, hit asphalt runways, got stuck in sand and grazed against the gravel without any damage. Its kryptonite proved to be desert shrubbery. CICADAs can be thrown out from a plane and it would serve as electronic carrier pigeons and reach where they are supposed to go.

Pentagon visualizes the CICADA to be used for weather monitoring services and seismic data collection. But many government branches and intelligence agencies have evinced their interest in this program due to its covert operational abilities. These drones have no engines or propeller systems and can fly at 46 miles per hour till its battery dies. In its maiden test flight the CICADA drone released from 17,500 meters flew 11 miles and landed just 15 feet short of its target. Each drone is programmed with GPS coordinates which helps it to seek out the destination.

The CICADA might be the ultimate covert operation ace up the Pentagon's sleeve. This low cost drone may have several uses in meteorology, defense, or even daily business activities.

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