British Army to buy Black Hornet 3 unmanned helicopters for surveillance and situational awareness

April 17, 2019
WILSONVILLE, Ore. – FLIR Systems Inc. in Wilsonville, Ore., has been awarded a $1.8 million contract by the British Army to deliver a tiny unmanned helicopter called the FLIR Black Hornet 3 Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS). Optics.org reports.
WILSONVILLE, Ore. – FLIR Systems Inc. in Wilsonville, Ore., has been awarded a $1.8 million contract by the British Army to deliver a tiny unmanned helicopter called the FLIR Black Hornet 3 Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS). Optics.org reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

17 April 2019 -- Commentary here

Units delivered under the contract will support platoon- and troop-level surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. They also will be used in part for a test and evaluation of nano Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) capabilities to enhance warfighters’ situational awareness on the front lines.

At 32 grams (about 1.3 ounces) with a flight time to 25 minutes, the nearly silent, pocket-sized Black Hornet 3 transmits live video and high-definition still images back to the operator. Its information feed provides soldiers with immediate covert situational awareness to help them more effectively complete their mission.

FLIR has delivered more than 7,000 Black Hornets to military customers worldwide, and this new contract with the British Army expands use of the Black Hornet PRS for military surveillance and reconnaissance programs.

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John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics

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