An Israeli drone falls near Nablus

IDF drone made a forced landing near Nablus. The Israeli military said the vehicle was slightly damaged and has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

Israeli air force resumes Heron TP operations

The Israeli air force has resumed operations with its Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP ("Eitan") unmanned air systems, after lifting a grounding order imposed following a 29 January mishap. An aircraft crashed minutes after taking off from an air base in central Israel during the ill-fated test flight.

A combined investigation conducted by the air force and IAI concluded that the crash was caused by a structural failure in the medium-altitude, long-endurance design's wing, probably due to a manufacturing process. This counters an initial suggestion that the UAS had come down after exceeding the limitations of its flight envelope.

Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 turboprop engine, the Heron TP is the Israeli air force's largest unmanned aircraft. It has a fuselage length of 13m (43ft), a 26m wingspan and a maximum take-off weight of more than 4t, and is designed for autonomous take-off and landing.

U.S. , Israel military surveillance future: Drones now come in swarms?

 

 

A small insect or a mosquito over your ear may now be much more than simply annoying. They could easily be micro drones which now come in a swarm of bug-sized flying spies.

In an effort to create a hard-to-detect surveillance drone that will operate with little or no direct human supervision in out of the way and adverse environments, researchers are mimicking nature.  

The University of Pennsylvania GRASP Lab showed off a network of 20 nano-quad rotors capable of agile flight, which could swarm and navigate in an environment with obstacles.

This is another step away from bulky heavily armed aerial vehicles or humanoid robots to a much smaller level of tiny remote-control devices. While current drones lack manoeuvrability, can't hover and move fast enough, these new devices will be able to land precisely and fly off again at speed. One day the military hopes they may prove a crucial tactical advantage in wars and could even save lives in disasters. They can also be helpful inside caves and barricaded rooms to send back real-time intelligence about the people and weapons inside. 

 

A report in NetworkWorld online news suggests the research is based on the mechanics of insects, which potentially can be reverse-engineered to design midget machines to scout battlefields and search for victims trapped in rubble. 

In an attempt to create such a device, scientists have turned to flying creatures long ago, examining their perfect conditions for flight, which have evolved over millions of years.Zoologist Richard Bomphrey has told the British Daily Mail newspaper he has conducted research to generate new insight into how insect wings have evolved over the last 350 million years. 

"By learning those lessons, our findings will make it possible to aerodynamically engineer a new breed of surveillance vehicles that, because they are as small as insects and also fly like them, completely blend into their surroundings," the newspaper quotes him as saying.

The U.S. Department of Defense has turned its attention to miniature drones. 

As early as 2007 the U.S. was accused of secretly developing robotic insect spies when anti-war protesters in the U.S. saw some flying objects similar to dragonflies or little helicopters hovering above them.  No government agency has admitted to developing insect-size spy drones though some official and private organizations have admitted that they were trying.

In 2008, the U.S. Air Force showed off bug-sized spies as "tiny as bumblebees" that would not be detected when flying into buildings to "photograph, record, and even attack insurgents and terrorists." 

That same year the  U.S. government's military research agency (DARPA) conducted a symposium discussing "bugs, bots, borgs and bio-weapons." 

 

Around the same time the so-called Ornithopter flying machine based on Leonardo Da Vinci’s designs were unveiled and it was claimed they would be ready for roll out by 2015

Lockheed Martin's Intelligent Robotics Laboratories has unveiled "maple-seed-like" drones called Samarai that also mimic nature. U.S. troops could throw them like a boomerang to see real-time images of what's around the next corner. 

The U.S. is not alone in miniaturizing drones that imitate nature: France, the Netherlands and Israel are also developing similar devices.

Israel ahead of the game?

Israel's  latest project — a butterfly-shaped drone weighing just 20 grams — the smallest in its range so far – can gather intelligence inside buildings.

The new miniscule surveillance device can take color pictures and is capable of a vertical take-off and hover flight, just like a helicopter, reports the daily Israel Hayom. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) says this may come in handy in ground clashes, when a soldier would merely take it out of a pocket and send behind the enemy's line.

The insect-drone, with its 0.15-gram camera and memory card, is managed remotely with a special helmet. Putting on the helmet, you find yourself in the "butterfly's cockpit" and virtually see what the butterfly sees – in real time. 

 

"The butterfly's advantage is its ability to fly in an enclosed environment. There is no other aerial vehicle that can do that today," Dubi Binyamini, head of IAI's mini-robotics department, told Israel Hayom.

Structures under observation can be anything from train stations or airport terminals – or office buildings – to battlefields and even forests in, say, southern Lebanon, where Israel believes Hizbullah hides its ambush squads. 

The virtually noiseless "butterfly" flaps its four wings 14 times per second. Almost translucent, it looks like an overgrown moth, but is still smaller than some natural butterflies.  

The IAI, Israel's major aerospace and aviation manufacturer, needs two more years to polish their "butterfly" project. The product seems to fall into the trend of reducing drone size. Their recent models promoted for city observation and conflicts were the Ghost, weighing 4 kg, and Mosquito, which weighs only 500 grams.

While the "butterfly" may bring "a real technological revolution," as the developer predicts, to the military field, questions remain how it will change civil life. The drone is also propped up for police use and there is little doubt that secret services will be only too happy to grab such an intricate weapon. 

Royal Australian Air Force Hire Herons for use in Afghanistan on Hourly basis

 

June 23, 2012: For the last three years, the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) has been leasing Israeli Heron Shoval UAVs for use in Afghanistan. The RAAF actually rents the Herons by the hour, and in the last three years have bought 10,000 hours of flight time, using 19 Herons. Total cost per hour in the air for a Heron is over $20,000. That includes the services of ten people per UAV as operators (of the aircraft and equipment onboard) as well as ground support personnel. In the last three years, the Australian military has spent over half a billion dollars on UAV operations for all three services.

The Heron Shoval UAV is very similar to the Predator A (or MQ-1), and is selling well to foreign customers who cannot obtain the MQ-1. In addition to being one of the primary UAVs for the Israeli armed forces, India, Turkey, Russia, France, Brazil, El Salvador, the United States, Canada and Australia have either bought, leased or licensed manufacture of the Heron.
The Heron Shoval weighs about the same (1.2 tons) as the Predator, and has the same endurance (40 hours). Shoval has a slightly higher ceiling (10 kilometers/30,000 feet, versus 8 kilometers) and software which allows it to automatically take off, carry out a mission, and land automatically. Not all American large UAVs can do this. Both Predator and Shoval cost about the same ($5 million), although the Israelis are willing to be more flexible on price. The Shoval does have a larger wingspan (16.5 meters/51 feet) than the Predator (13.2 meters/41 feet) and a payload of about 137 kg/300 pounds.
About half the time RAAF Herons were used for surveillance of a village or remote compound to determine if the Taliban were operating there and if the place was worth a visit by ground troops. The rest of the time Herons were directly supporting ground troops. While the Herons were not armed, the UAV operators called in warplanes (with missiles and smart bombs), artillery or American UAVs that carried missiles.
The RAAF also used Herons to sniff out Taliban using hand-held radios and use that to uncover what the enemy was up to. The Herons carry laser designators, so they can mark a target with laser, and have a missile or smart bomb delivered by a nearby manned aircraft.

Hermes 900, Heron 1 to contest Swiss UAS deal

Tel Aviv - The Swiss defence ministry is expected to select a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned air system before the end of this year, with the final two contenders being the Elbit Systems Hermes 900 and the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron 1.
 
Both systems have already been demonstrated to Swiss officials in Israel, and more flights are planned to take place in different regions of Switzerland.
 
Detailed proposals for the requirement are expected to be submitted by August, with this to lead to at least six more months of evaluation.
 
Both of the Israeli-made UAS are capable of carrying multi-purpose payloads.

$20 Mil for BlueBird- Indian pharmaceutical company decided to acquire shares of the Israeli UAV manufacturer

Nearing the end of talks with Israeli manufacturers, the Indian pharmaceutical company decided to acquire shares of the Israeli UAV manufacturer

Several days after IsraelDefense reported on India’s intentions to invest in the Israeli defense industries, it is now official – India’s pharmaceutical giant Piramal Healthcare will acquire some of the shares of the Israeli UAV manufacturer BlueBird for $20 million dollars.

IsraelDefense reported just several days ago that India is interested in investing in the Israeli defense industries, and that Piramal is conducting meetings with several Israeli manufacturers planning to approach defense tenders in India.

At the end of the talks that Piramal held with several Israeli manufacturers, the Indian company decided to acquire shares of the Israeli UAV manufacturer BlueBird. The Israeli company has refused to comment, but it seems that the final agreement will soon be signed.

The investment will apparently take place via Piramal's US subsidiary. The company plans to establish a defense subsidiary, which may lead to potential investments in additional Israeli companies.

The planned Indian tender will include 500 mini and micro UAV systems that have an endurance of at least 30 minutes and can be operated by one or two soldiers. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has a strong position within the Indian defense establishment, and it will apparently offer several mini-UAV models.

BlueBird, whose shares will be acquired in part by the Indian pharmaceutical company, has already concluded a cooperation agreement with the Indian company Dynamatic.

Israel Sells Drones, Missiles To Azerbaijan

Israeli defense officials on February 26 confirmed a deal to sell Azerbaijan drones, antiaircraft, and missile defense systems for some $1.6 billion.

Azerbaijan's contract is with the state-run Israel Aerospace Industries. Israeli defense officials, speaking under condition of anonymity, said the deal had been in the works for some time and was not a response to Iran's nuclear development program or recent attempts, allegedly by Iranian agents, to kill Israeli diplomats in India, Thailand, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Israeli media reported late last year that there was a deal for Israel to sell 60 drones of two types to Azerbaijan and that in September 2011 there were discussions about joint Israeli-Azerbaijani construction of drones with missiles.

Also in September 2011, an Israeli-built drone with Azerbaijani Air Force markings was reportedly shot down over the disputed Nagorno-Karabkah enclave claimed by both Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Iran's Foreign Ministry earlier this month accused Baku of allowing Israel's spy agency Mossad to operate in Azerbaijan, which shares, including the Naxchivan enclave, a border with Iran more than 600 kilometers long.

The news of Israel's sale of the military equipment comes as tensions over Iran's nuclear program are reaching critical levels. A team from the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) visited Iran on February 20-21 and returned saying Iran had stepped up work on enriching uranium and that there were serious concerns about "possible military dimensions" to Iran's nuclear program.

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about those concerns at a February 26 session of the Israeli cabinet. Netanyahu promised he would raise them in meetings with U.S. President Barack Obama when Netanyahu travels to Washington later this week.

Netanyahu said, "There is no doubt that one topic shall be at the center of our discussions: Iran and the continuing strengthening of its nuclear program." Netanyahu said statements from the IAEA team after their visit to Iran "proves Israel's correct assessments, that Iran is continuing to advance in quick steps in its nuclear program, in defiance and blatantly ignoring decisions taken by the world community."

Iran insists its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes but some governments, particularly Western governments, dismiss this and point to Iran's unwillingness to fully cooperate with international inspectors. Western countries have imposed a series of sanctions against Iran due to these concerns.