Aeronautics Ltd. has delivered the first Orbiter 3 small tactical unmanned aerial system (STUAS) to an undisclosed customer.

“The Orbiter 3 STUAS brings to the unmanned systems market capabilities that did not exist previously,” said Ran Carmeli, head of the Aerial Division at Aeronautics. “A field deployed, 25 kg electric powered UAS, can now deliver the same ISTAR output achieved up to now only by much larger tactical UAS of a 100 kg and more.”

The Orbiter 3 can stay in air for seven hours, and reach ranges of more than a 100 km. It can carry a wide range of payloads, including the TD-STAMP from Controp Precision Technologies – a state-of-the-art tri-sensor, gyro stabilised mini payload combining CCD, cooled FLIR and a laser designator.

The Orbiter 3 STUAS is the largest variant of the Orbiter family of electric powered UAS. Its smaller variants, Orbiter 1 and 2 are deployed operationally worldwide by more than a dozen customers. Practically undetectable, Orbiter UASs are used for a range of missions in land warfare including: ISTAR, artillery support and special ops. In the maritime arena, Orbiter serves as an independent ISTAR asset for naval vessels – launched and recovered from its deck.