Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), has announced a number of upgrades to its Black Hornet® 4 Personal Reconnaissance System to further boost operational effectiveness for warfighters.
In development over the past year, the series of improvements include a 50% increase in Black Hornet’s radio communications range from two to three kilometers (in optimal conditions). The BH4’s new android tablet, part of the ground control station, now has up to twice the battery life, plus a battery heater for charging in cold temps. The new tablet also features improved ergonomics, making it easier to use while wearing gloves.
Black Hornet 4 can operate in 25-knot winds and rain, and extensive testing was performed to validate its already rugged endurance capabilities. The drone itself is now IP-52 rated, able to withstand 7.6 mm of rain per hour while in flight, while the ground control station boasts an IP-54 rating.
All of the upgrades are being rolled out immediately.
Black Hornet 4 is now able to provide enhanced covert situational awareness to small fighting units. Its 12-megapixel daytime camera and high-resolution thermal imager deliver crisp video and still images to the operator. At just 70 grams Black Hornet 4 can fly for more than 30 minutes and further than three kilometers. Flight performance is augmented by advanced obstacle avoidance capabilities and other features.
Compared to quad-rotor drones, the single rotor Black Hornet 4 UAV has an extremely low visual and audible signature, enabling it to identify threats day or night without being detected. Able to launch in less than 20 seconds and well suited for missions in GPS-denied environments, Black Hornet 4 can be used to rapidly identify targets beyond visual line-of-sight and assess weapon effects in real-time.
FLIR Defense has delivered more than 33,000 Black Hornet drones to military and security forces in over 45 countries. The U.S. Army began acquiring Black Hornet systems in 2018 for its Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) program. Since then, it has placed orders under SBS and other vehicles totaling more than $300 million.