Israel unveils new tactical drone with 24-hour flight endurance
Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems unveiled its newest tactical drone at the Singapore Airshow on Wednesday.
The Hermes 650 Spark unmanned aerial drone. Photo by Elbit Systems.
Dubbed the Hermes 650 Spark, the drone can stay aloft for 24 hours, carry a payload of up to 260 kilograms, and operate at a range of 300 km.
The propeller-driven aircraft is also designed to be able to take off from short runways.
The Hermes family of drones made by the Haifa-based Elbit are designed for a variety of military and homeland security missions, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and maritime patrol.
“This cutting-edge UAS [unmanned aerial system], built on decades of market leadership, underscores our commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology, and providing exceptional capabilities to our global partners,” said Yoram Shmuely, General Manager of Elbit Systems Aerospace.
Unmanned aerial vehicles make up a sizable amount of Israeli arms sales. In 2022, — when Israeli arms exports hit a record $12.5 billion — a Defense Ministry report said that unmanned aerial systems accounted for about one-quarter of the new agreements signed that year.
