raven industries inc (RV1) Snapshot

Raven Industries Inc. announced it is involved in a pilot project with Google designed to provide high-speed wireless Internet accessibility to rural, remote and underserved areas of the world. Google plans to use Raven-designed and developed high-tech balloons as part of its new project for balloon-powered Internet access, Project Loon. Raven Aerostar has been working for several months in close collaboration with Google on the design and development of this technology innovation. While the program is still in its early stages, a successful trial began this week in New Zealand involving 30 balloons provided by Raven Aerostar providing Internet connectivity to an area covering nearly 10,000 square kilometers. The balloons are designed to be 60 feet tall and fly at an altitude of 66,000 feet. The teams designed sophisticated technology that can control the path of the balloons as they move through the sky. This technology moves the balloons up and down in the stratosphere so they can sail on the wind traveling in the right speed and direction. This, along with software developed by Google for managing a fleet of balloons, is a significant step in turning balloons into a viable platform for providing Internet access to rural and remote areas.

Raven Aerostar recently concluded a successful maritime operation in response to an urgent requirement from the Commander, U.S. Navy South (Mayport, Fla.) for a maritime persistent surveillance solution aimed at enhancing security in the Caribbean Basin. Quickly meeting the requirements provided by U.S. Navy South, Raven Aerostar deployed a turnkey Maritime Persistent Surveillance Solution featuring a Raven Aerostar Tethered Aerostat System integrated with a Vista Smart Sensing Radar System, a General Dynamics electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) camera, and a data link aboard the High-Speed Vessel -- SWIFT (HSV-2). Departing from Key West, Fla. onboard the flight deck of the HSV-2, Raven Aerostar's Maritime Persistent Surveillance Solution was deployed to support U.S. Southern Command's international effort to provide surveillance in the Caribbean Sea. This successful operation builds on the continued international engagement of Raven Aerostar, and their wholly owned subsidiary, Vista Research, providing cost effective, persistent surveillance solutions that leverage tethered aerostats integrated with radars and other surveillance capabilities to enhance regional security in both land and maritime environments.

Raven Industries Inc. introduced new advances in precision agriculture technology including the highly anticipated summer release of its new Viper 4 field computer as well as other ag technology during the eleventh annual Raven Innovation Summit held June 4-5. Over the last ten years, Raven's line of Viper field computers has built an outstanding reputation for innovation among agricultural retailers and custom applicators. As most robust field computer to date, Viper 4 will not only improve how customers manage critical machine functions, but more importantly, enhance the way data collected in the field is managed and utilized. The Viper 4 field computer features a 12.1" responsive touchscreen and sleek design with a ruggedized magnesium casing. A customizable user interface utilizing new Raven Operating Software allows users to set up machine profiles, user profiles, and grower-farm-field information, expediting job start-up and streamlining information management functionality.