TL9 Remotely Piloted Sensordrone:  Hampton Industries “God’s Eye”

This little beastie was inspired by the “Whisperdrone” described in GDW’s 2300AD 
roleplaying game.  It seemed a wonderful idea...a good way to see without being seen.

I added a few modifications, and manhandled the vehicles rules a bit to get what I 
wanted.  I junked the requirement that a vertol system requires a reaction engine, and 
instead installed ducted fan aerial propellers for lift.  Quieter.

Note that the vehicle is extremely stealthy.  This means if the controlling vehicle loses the 
communications lock on the drone, there will not be a particularly good way to reacquire.  
The most likely fix for this is that the tactical vehicle operation program, in conjunction 
with the GPS, will return the Godseye to the exact position where lock was last 
maintained, to allow the re-establishment of communications.  

Structure:  3.68 cubic foot medium body, constructed of advanced materials (body HT 
43).  30 degree slope on all sides of the vehicle (it looks like a flying saucer), Good 
streamlining.

Propulsion and Power:  The vehicle is lifted by a ducted fan with 100KW of motive 
power, attached to a vertol lift system to provide for stability and movement.  The power 
is provided by a rechargable energy bank, 300 KW-hr of storage allow for a three hour 
endurance.  

Sensor Array:  Laser Sensors (warn operator if lasers sweep the drone); Radar Locator 
(inform operator of location and strength of radar sets in the area); Advanced [Scan 11] 
Short range MAD; ALLTV; Advanced [Scan 19] short range thermograph; Automatic 
Laser Designator (careful!  this will reveal the vehicle if the target also has laser sensors).

Navigation and Communications:  GPS; Remote control receiver; Tight beam laser 
communicator.

Computer:  Genius Midgit comuter [Complexity 4].  Runs Datalink [Comp 1], Database 
[Vehicle signatures, 1000 can be stored, Complexity 1], Tactical Vehicle Operation [Skill 
15, Complexity 4], Sensor Operation(Thermograph) [Skill 15, Comp 3], Sensor 
Operation(MAD) [Skill 15, Comp 3].

Defensive Countermeasures:  Radical Stealth; Improved Sound Baffling; Instant 
Chameleon Surface; Advanced IR Cloaking.

Armor:  DR 3, all locations.

Statistics:  Cost: $257,726; Design Mass: 134.28 lbs; max payload: 13 lbs.  Size modifier 
-1; Vision modifier:  moving: -4, stationary -7; Radar Signature: -11; IR Signature: -8; 
Acoustic Signature: -5.  Max Speed:  315 mph.  Acceleration: 15.75 mph/sec.  
Decceleration 10 mph/sec.  Aerial MR: 1.25.  Aerial SR:  2.  Ceiling 28,000 feet.

Note that for calculating the max speed, I used the 40mph aerial speed factor of a ducted 
fan propellor, and when calculating the power factor, I subtracted 2000 as per the vertol 
rules.  Including the subtraction, the Godseye has a power factor of 7.88.

Copyright 1995 by Douglas Cole