The British military is using miniature helicopters in Afghanistan. In the past few years, the usage of drones has dramatically increased.Miniature surveillance helicopters are being used by British military intelligence forces in Afghanistan. The remotely controlled devices send camera footage and pictures to the troops on the ground. The 1 by 4 inch drone, known as the Black Hornet Nano Unmanned Air Vehicle, can be piloted manually or it can be programmed using GPS coordinates. It weighs less than an ounce, reaching speeds of up to 22 miles per hour. The Black Hornet can travel for up to half an hour, and has a range of around a half-mile. Sergeant Christopher Petherbridge, from the Brigade Reconnaissance Force stationed in Afghanistan, said: “We used it to look for insurgent firing points and check out exposed areas of the ground before crossing, which is a real asset. It is very easy to operate and offers amazing capability to the guys on the ground." The military contract for the drones specifies that 160 of them will be supplied and maintained by Marlborough Communications. The drones were initially designed by the company Prox Dynamics in Norway, for search and rescue procedures.