Elbit Systems announced that its Skylark I-LE Unmanned Aircraft System has been granted a Military Aircraft Type Certificate from the French Ministry of Defence (DGA – Direction Générale de l’Armement).
The Type Certificate permits the French Army to operate the Skylark I-LE in the French national airspace. Granting of the Type Certificate was based on a rigorous review of air-worthiness and safety related documents that were submitted to the French Air-Worthiness Technical Authority.
The Skylark I-LE (Long Endurance) is a derivative of the legacy Skylark I UAS, already operational with several coalition forces worldwide. This mini/man-pack UAS is ideal for lower echelons self support reconnaissance close range beyond-the next-hill missions, offering longer endurance of up to three hours and enhanced robustness. Performance-proven in cloudy and windy weather conditions, Skylark I-LE demonstrates excellent optical survey, target identification and surveillance capabilities. It features a gyroscopic stabilized gimbaled payload and a high degree of autonomous flight from take-off to precise recovery, yielding real-time intelligence at an affordable price. This configuration, equipped with algorithms derived from Elbit Systems’ Hermes family of larger UAS, can track fixed and moving targets, an impressive capability for a hand launched UAS.
Weighing only 700 grams, the thermal payload is the lightest in its class. The payload’s capabilities include very wide area coverage, continuous tracking of moving targets and a higher resolution rate than any of its predecessors.
Elbit Systems provides the IDF battalion-level with the Skylark I-LE for all Ground Forces, including training and logistics support.
Source: Press Release