Teledyne FLIR Defense has been contracted to supply its Black Hornet 4 Personal Reconnaissance Systems to the German Armed Forces.
The agreement includes an undisclosed number of the nano drones, along with spare parts and training.
Work under the contract will take place over two years in coordination with European Logistic Partners, a regional distribution company based in Wuppertal.
Once delivered, the unmanned aerial systems will join the more than 33,000 Black Hornet drones already supplied by Teledyne FLIR to nearly 50 countries.
The Norwegian-made Black Hornet technology is currently in use by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in their defense against Russia, as well as by the US military.
The hand-launched drone is also employed by the US military.
“We’re proud to work with the Bundeswehr and ELP to deliver the unmatched capabilities of Black Hornet 4 to German armed forces,” Teledyne FLIR Defense Ketil UAS Norway Operations VP Ketil Vanebo stated.
“We are seeing increased adoption of the Black Hornet unmanned aircraft system throughout Europe as regional and global tensions remain high.”
“A highly stealthy, advanced drone such as Black Hornet 4 gives warfighters a distinct edge when conducting their toughest missions.”
The Black Hornet 4
Teledyne FLIR’s Black Hornet 4 measures 255 millimeters (10 inches) in length, with a rotor diameter of 190 millimeters (8 inches).
Designed for rapid deployment in under 20 seconds, it can carry out reconnaissance missions by collecting audio, video, and electromagnetic data from targets within a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) range.
The drone moves at speeds of 10 meters (33 feet) per second and can withstand wind gusts of up to 25 knots (46 kilometers/29 miles per hour) as well as temperatures ranging from -20 to 43 degrees Celsius (-4 to 109 degrees Fahrenheit).
