IAI Heron

The Heron or Machatz-1 is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle developed by the Malat (UAV) division of Israel Aircraft Industries. It is capable of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) operations of up to 52 hours' duration at up to 35,000 feet. It has demonstrated 52 hours of continuous flight, but the effective operational maximal flight duration is less, due to payload and flight profile. There is a new version, Heron TP.

On September 11 2005 it was announced [http://www.iai.co.il/Default.aspx?docID=33336&FolderID=32540&lang=EN] that the Israel Defence Forces purchased US$50 million worth of Heron systems. The IDF's designation of the Heron is "Machatz-1".Apart from Israel, the countries which operate the Heron are India and Turkey. [ [http://www.defense-update.com/products/h/Heron-UAV.htm Heron MALE System ] ] France operates a derivative of Heron named Eagle. [ [http://www.defense-update.com/products/e/eagle-UAV.htm Eagle MALE System ] ] In August 2008, Canada announced plans to lease a Heron for use in Afghanistan beginning early the following year. [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/08/07/helicopters-military.html]

Navigation

Heron navigates using an internal GPS receiver, and either a pre-programmed flight profile (in which case the system is fully autonomous from takeoff to landing), manual override from a ground control station, or a combination of both. It can autonomously return to base and land in case of lost communication with the ground station. The system has fully automatic launch and recovery (ALR) and all-weather capabilities.

Payload

Heron can carry an array of sensors, including infra-red and visible-light surveillance, intelligence systems (COMINT and ELINT) and various radar systems, totaling up to 250 kg. Heron is also capable of target acquisition and artillery adjustment.

The payload sensors communicate with the ground control station in real-time, using either direct line of sight data link, or via an airborne/satellite relay. Like the navigation system, the payload can also be used in either a fully pre-programmed autonomous mode, or manual real-time remote operation, or a combination of both.

pecifications

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop
ref={name of first source}
crew=None
capacity=
length main= 8.94 m
length alt= 29 ft 4 in
span main= 16.60 m
span alt= 54 ft 5 in
height main=
height alt=
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main=
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 1,150 kg
max takeoff weight alt= 2,530 lb
more general=

engine (prop)=Rotax 914
type of prop=
number of props=1
power main= 86 kW
power alt= 115 hp
power original=

max speed main= 207 km/h
max speed alt= 113 knots, 130 mph
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 3,300 km
range alt= 1,872 nm, 2,063 mi
ceiling main= 10,000 m
ceiling alt= 32,800 ft
climb rate main= 150 m/min
climb rate alt= 492 ft/min
loading main= 200 kg/m²
loading alt= 40.9 lb/ft²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament=
avionics=

References

External links

* [http://www.defense-update.com/products/h/Heron-UAV.htm IAI Heron Update]
* [http://www.defense-update.com/features/du-2-05/uav-4.htm MALE UAV Applications]
* [http://www.defense-update.com/features/du-2-05/feature-sensor.htm UAV Sensor applications]
* [http://www.defense-update.com/features/du-2-05/EO-sensors.htm EO Sensors for UAVs]
* [http://www.defense-update.com/features/du-2-05/SAR-list.htm SAR sensors for UAVs]

ee also

aircontent

sequence=

related=
* IAI Eithan : Israeli HALE UAV

similar aircraft=
* MQ-1 Predator
* TIHA

see also=
* Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
* Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle
* Joint Direct Attack Munition