Israel unveils 'Super Heron' MALE drone

Israel Aerospace Industries unveil the newest "Super Heron" drone at the Singapore Air Show

Jerusalem: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on Tuesday unveiled the newest "Super Heron" drone at the Singapore Air Show, an aircraft that "redefines" Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial systems, an official statement said.

Representational pic

The Super Heron is a significantly upgraded version of the "Shoval", the first Heron-type drone to had entered service in the Israel Air Force (IAF) in 2007, where it has since been used in intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR), maritime patrol and other missions, Xinhua reported.

The newest drone features a heavy fuel engine and a propulsion system that enable it to operate at an altitude of 30,000 feet (about 9 km), fly 1000 km when linked to satellite communications, and remain aloft for 45 hours, IAI stated in an official release.

"Its forte lies in the enhanced triple-redundant avionics, processing capabilities, operational flexibility, and simple integration of more diversified payloads, among other features," an IAI spokeswoman said.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!