While the Hermes 450 unmanned aircraft may turn heads with its daily display flights, manufacturer Elbit Systems (booth A736) is also keen to show off some of its other unmanned air vehicle products.
They include the Down-sized Ground Control Station (DGCS), for use with Hermes-family UAVs, and the Skylark man-packed UAV.
Selected for the UK’s Watchkeeper programme, the long-endurance Hermes 450 has also been used in operations by Israeli and US forces and in trials in UK civil airspace. Payloads include Elbit’s own CoMPASS electro-optical/infrared/laser-designator package and synthetic-aperture/ground moving-target indicator radar.
The associated Universal Ground Control System (UGCS) allows a single operator to control both the air vehicle and the payload. Imagery captured during a mission can be transferred to the ground in real time via high-speed datalink.
Elbit’s DGCS is designed to provide similar capabilities in compact, transportable form. Offering a single operator workstation and the full range of mission planning and execution functions, DGCS can be deployed in a jeep-sized vehicle and made ready for operation by a crew of two within 10min.
The man-packed Skylark is designed to provide tactical close-range surveillance and reconnaissance, perimeter security and artillery fire-adjustment. It has been selected by the Israel defence forces ground forces, Australia and several European nations.
Source: Flight Daily News
