2nd Generation Sky Rider
A new and improved version of the Sky Rider UAV is expected to enter operational use in the IDF. The UAV, which is intended to be used by soldiers in the field, is equipped with payloads that make it possible to receive real-time battlefield pictures.
The new Sky Rider model, which was developed by the Ground Technological Division and the Ground Forces Weapons Department and is supplied by Elbit Systems, underwent final test stages last month and is meant to enter operational activity this month.
“This is an improvement of the existing system,” says a source connected to the project. “The aircraft itself has slightly increased, and it is a little heavier – it previously weighed approximately 6.5 kilograms and now it weighs 7 kilograms. Ailerons were added to the UAV, which have improved its airworthiness and its handling of winds and weather conditions, and many things pertaining to flight reliability have been improved.
“In addition, it now includes a night payload with continuous zoo, when there was a need to transition between the narrow and broad fields in the past. The ground system has also been changed, and there is now a tremendous improvement in the user interface. The communication allows for greater operational flexibility, both with regards to ranges as well as with regards to controlling several UAVs at once.”
The Sky Rider unit in the IDF Artillery Corps has been operating in recent years close to the various forces deployed in different sectors, providing a real-time intelligence picture. The integration of the new model in the field is expected to provide technological operational advantages, and the Ground Forces hope that in the future, every battalion will have a Sky Rider team to assist with field activities.
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