WHAT ARE MILITARY DRONES USED FOR? Military drones, including both commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and military off-the-shelf (MOTS) variants, play a vital role in modern warfare, providing real-time intelligence, reducing risks to human life, and enabling precise operations. These military drones are utilized in training exercises to enhance military personnel skills and prove invaluable in search and rescue missions, particularly in disaster-stricken areas where human intervention can be hazardous.

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Editor's note 14/11/24: This article has being updated to clarify Mrs Nowland had a knife and an unidentifiable black object in her hands, not two knives.

The officer who led a critical incident investigation into the tasering, Detective Sergeant Mitchell Bosworth, began his testimony yesterday, when a recording of a triple-0 call made by a staff member at Yallambee Lodge was played to the jury.

Mrs Nowland appeared to put down an unidentifiable black object from her left hand, but then stood up using her walker, with a knife still in her right hand.

A notable feature of military drones is the “silent mode,” where military drones can be preconfigured to fly a certain route without continuous communication with the ground control system. This mode reduces vulnerability to communication-jamming attempts, making the drones more effective in contested areas. However, it also increases the risk of losing the drone due to the inability of the pilot/operator to intervene during GNSS jamming attacks, which can disrupt the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) used for positioning and navigation.

Supreme Court Justice Ian Harrison began day two of the trial by reminding the jury to "disregard any media commentary" regarding the case.

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(Staff caller) We just have a very aggressive resident and um, she's going into different rooms. We tried getting her out, we managed to get her out from couple of rooms and went into the third room, which she cannot even come out. She's two little knives that she's picked up from the kitchen drawer and um, raising them against the staff…

This morning, CCTV footage from Yallambee Lodge was played, showing Mrs Nowland wandering about the aged care facility using a walker in the early hours of May 17.

Senior Constable White could be heard saying "Clare, come on, you're alright", as he knelt by Mrs Nowland's side, holding her wrist.

CLASS 2 A military drone within CLASS 2 fits between CLASS 1 and 3, deployed as a tactical tool rather than the more strategic systems in CLASS 3. Although SATCOM is a commonly used way for Command & Control (C2) communications, these systems can also use long-range directional antennas to achieve a 200+ kilometers range within Line Of Sight (LOS).

Both COTS and MOTS military drones offer advantages to modern military forces, enhancing efficiency, and precision, and reducing risks. The advanced sensors and cameras provide real-time situational awareness, aiding decision-making and improving the effectiveness of military operations. Furthermore, the more advanced communication systems of MOTS military drones provide a critical advantage in contested areas, enabling reliable and uninterrupted communication between the drone operator and military command, even in the presence of hostile interference.

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.

Footage from the body-worn cameras of the two police officers called to Yallambee Lodge was also played in court, and included sound from the interaction.

In the current day and age, military units understand the strategic & tactical need for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), making them an integral part of their arsenal.

Clare Nowland, who had symptoms of dementia, died in Cooma Hospital after being tasered in May 2023. (Supplied: NSW Police)

Earlier today, Sairita Maistry, a forensic pathologist who prepared an autopsy report on Mrs Nowland's death, told the court the cause of Mrs Nowland’s death was in keeping with blunt force trauma to the head.

The prosecution has alleged Senior Constable White breached a duty of care to the deceased, and committed manslaughter by way of criminal negligence, or by committing an unlawful or dangerous act.

No sound could be heard, but the footage appeared to show Mrs Nowland holding up a knife while using a walking frame in the dining area of the building.

She was asked by emergency services personnel to put down a knife she had in her possession on a table and to stay seated.

The micro and mini-UAVs enable valuable support by providing an aerial view of the target and direct artillery fire at the target object. The Martlet military ISTAR drones determine the exact geographical coordinates of objects and calculate various distances on the map, all in real-time.

WHAT IS A MILITARY DRONE? Military drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) used in military operations. They can be either commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) drones or drones specifically designed for military purposes. The different types of military drones are defined by factors like their purpose, weight class, and effective range. Military drones serve purposes such as lethal attack missions or intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR).

The great-grandmother was tasered by the police officer at Cooma's Yallambee Lodge in the NSW Snowy Mountains on May 17, 2023.

In contrast, MOTS military drones are purpose-built for military applications. These systems have advanced sensors, and high-performance cameras, and may be equipped with specialized weapon systems, enabling them to handle complex missions in challenging environments. MOTS military drones undergo rigorous testing to ensure reliability, durability, and compatibility with military operations. Additionally, MOTS military drones feature more advanced communication systems (radios) that offer the user more robust communications in contested areas. These advanced radios provide increased resilience against electronic warfare and jamming, ensuring continuous and secure communication channels for military personnel.

In summary, military drones combine human and machine intelligence with C4ISR capabilities for effective and safe operation. The integration of remote-control systems, autonomous features, and C4ISR enables seamless communication, real-time data analysis, and informed decision-making. The “silent mode” feature enhances the resilience of military drones against communication interference, and the implementation of advanced communication systems, such as SDRs in MOTS drones, further strengthens their ability to maintain robust communications in contested areas. However, it is important to address the risk of GNSS jamming attacks to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of military drone operations.

In addition, MOTS drones, unlike COTS drones, feature more advanced communication systems, often Software Defined Radios (SDR). These SDRs provide several benefits, including the ability to hop between frequencies in case of communication-jamming attacks. By dynamically changing frequencies, MOTS drones can mitigate the impact of jamming attempts, ensuring that communication channels remain open and operational. The use of SDRs in MOTS drones demonstrates their adaptability and resilience in contested environments.

CLASS-1 military drones are also deployed as autonomous drone and tethered UAV systems to act as communication relays. The EZ systems use a tether line that can go up an altitude of 100 meters for an unlimited flight time. This enables operators to set up a portable communication network within a couple of minutes in the most demanding environments.

Drones have been around for over 100 years now but started to be used as spy planes by the late 1950s, gathering imagery intelligence without risking any lives. Since then, military drones have undergone rapid developments leading to a wide range of different types of drones.

The autonomous capabilities of military drones, such as pre-programmed flight paths, significantly reduce the workload of operators. These drones are equipped with advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms that analyze data and make critical decisions. These capabilities include target acquisition for fire support and real-time flight adjustments, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of military operations.

To summarize, military drones, whether COTS or MOTS, significantly contribute to modern warfare by providing crucial real-time intelligence. They enhance operational efficiency, enabling precise and accurate mission execution. Additionally, they serve as valuable tools in training exercises and offer essential support in search and rescue operations, highlighting their pivotal role in military activities. The technological advancements in MOTS military drones, such as optical zoom capabilities, further amplify their ability to gather detailed information from extended distances, providing military forces with a distinct advantage in intelligence gathering and situational awareness.

It is also important to mention that both MOTS and COTS military drones can be utilized in a lethal capacity by carrying and deploying explosives. This includes the use of loitering munition drones, which are designed to autonomously locate and engage targets, as well as drones that can drop explosives with precision. These capabilities provide military forces with additional options for conducting offensive operations with increased accuracy and reduced risk to personnel.

One resident wrote that Mrs Nowland came to his room at about 3am on the morning in question, holding two steak knives in her right hand.

The jury in a Supreme Court manslaughter trial has been shown CCTV footage of a 95-year-old great-grandmother being tasered by a police officer in an aged care home, and told she weighed less than 50 kilograms at autopsy.

Senior Constable Kristian White arrives at court on the second day of his manslaughter trial. (ABC News: Jamie McKinnell)

Both COTS and military off-the-shelf (MOTS) drones are equipped with advanced technologies like sensors, high-resolution cameras, and adapted weapon systems. They are operated remotely from secure locations, minimizing risks for military personnel. COTS drones are commercial drones modified for military use. They typically have day and night cameras and may be modified to carry small projectiles, enabling these systems to deliver payloads or transform into explosive projectiles themselves.

In addition, the Martlet GCS software can load custom (military) maps, giving operators better access to more actionable intelligence when interpreting their live video feed with one of their preloaded maps.

A separate 36-minute CCTV video of Clare Nowland taken at Yallambee Lodge on March 14 2023, two months before the tasering, was also shown to the court.

It is noteworthy that MOTS drones, specifically designed for military applications, offer distinct advantages over COTS drones. MOTS military drones incorporate advanced technologies, including high-performance cameras with optical zoom and high-resolution night-vision capabilities, allowing these systems to capture detailed information from larger distances. This grants enhanced situational awareness and intelligence-gathering capabilities. In contrast, COTS drones, equipped with less sophisticated cameras, may have limitations in capturing fine details from significant distances.

The BINGO parameter uses multiple sensors to calculate the remaining mission time before the point of no return. This ensures a timely flight back to the desired landing site, allowing the pilot to fully focus on the mission.

CLASS 1 CLASS 1 includes all military drones weighing up to 150 kg. Subdivided into three categories, Micro (<2 kg), Mini (<15 kg), and Small >15 kg), these military drone systems have a typical range (radius) of 5 to 50 kilometers using a Line Of Sight (LOS) communication link. Height Technologies focuses on the Micro and Mini Drone category, so we’ll expand on the term: “military drone” from there.

Footage shows Senior Constable Kristian White, pictured here outside court, warned Mrs Nowland before tasering her. (ABC News: Jamie McKinnell)

From drones armed with missiles, ATGMs, or bombs to so-called loitering-munition drones (also known as kamikaze drones) or last-mile transport drones, this unmanned technology fills many new challenges and opens a whole new set of possibilities for military forces worldwide.

Some showed two knives and a pen light that police allegedly seized from a treatment room in Yallambee Lodge on the day of the incident.

HOW ARE MILITARY DRONES CONTROLLED? Military drones rely on a combination of remote-control systems, autonomous features, and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities. Military drone operators use a ground control station (GCS) equipped with consoles, screens, and communication systems to remotely pilot the drones. The GCS facilitates real-time video and data transmission to the operator and enables command issuance, playing a vital role in C4ISR operations.

The vision showed Mrs Nowland using her walker to make her way to the doorway, stopping and raising a knife in her right hand, before being tasered and falling backwards.

CLASS 3 CLASS 3 represents systems above 600 kg, categorised as High or Medium Altitude Long Endurance drones (HALE/MALE) that can reach an altitude of 10 to 20 km Above Sea Level (ASL). These systems are deployed at the strategic/national level and use satellite communications (SATCOM) for an unlimited range Beyond Line Of Sight (BLOS).

A Supreme Court jury has been shown footage of the police officer warning the great-grandmother several times before tasering her.