LAKE ONTARIO (AP) -- New York's Air National Guard, Naval Militia and the U.S. Coast Guard are holding search-and-rescue and security training exercises on Lake Ontario involving unmanned Reaper drones and small boat crews.
It's the first time the 174th Airwing of the Air National Guard has used its Reapers with any maritime unit. Maj. Patrick Cox of the 274th Air Support Operations Squadron says the biggest challenge will be coordinating radio communication.
The exercises will be conducted Monday and Tuesday over an area three to five miles off shore.
Boaters might see the Coast Guard working with orange dummies in the water, but the Reaper drones will be flying too high to see.
The Coast Guard uses planes and helicopters from various agencies in its search and rescue operations.
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