Army orders mini-helicopter drones, considers issuing to infantry

July 1, 2018
Infantry soldiers one day may be using pocket-size helicopter drones in combat to help them find their enemies.

Infantry soldiers one day may be using pocket-size helicopter drones in combat to help them find their enemies. The Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System from FLIR Systems Inc. in Wilsonville, Ore., is a miniature unmanned helicopter with video cameras that enables infantry squads to see enemy units from the air. The Army awarded a $2.6 million contract to FLIR Systems for an undisclosed number of the devices. Each hand-launched Black Hornet helicopter is about the size and weight of a parakeet. It can shoot live video with either a daylight imager or infrared, has a range of a little less than a mile and can fly for 25 minutes at a speed of 13 miles per hour. The Army bought several Black Hornet drones for testing with Special Forces units in 2016 and 2017, FLIR said. The Army will continue testing the Black Hornet while it considers issuing the device to troops in the field. For more information contact FLIR Systems online at www.flir.com/products/black-hornet-prs.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Military Aerospace, create an account today!