Aeronautics has recently expanded its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) portfolio with two notable additions: the ORBITER 2 LM and the ORBITER 4 VTOL. These systems represent significant advancements in tactical unmanned aerial technology, addressing the evolving needs of modern warfare and surveillance operations.

FW MAG offers a close look at the evolving trends in the tactical UAS sector thanks to an interview with Eyal Assenhaym, Vice-President (VP) Marketing & Business Development at Aeronautics.

FW MAG: In the wake of the launch of the ORBITER 2 LM and the ORBITER 4 VTOL, can you share your perception of the demand for tactical UAVs today?

Eyal Assenhaym: Recent conflicts demonstrate that denied airspace is the norm. Air superiority is also reached occasionally and for limited periods of time, while forces on the ground would need a constant flux of information from airborne sensors. The key to operations, is the capability to maneuver and to move quickly and often, thus raising the demand of constant updates of what is happening on the ground. Ukraine is a very pertinent case, as both sides have been making progress and improved their air defenses. Therefore, the use of MALE drones has decreased over time. In addition to missiles, Electronic Warfare (EW) tactics and new equipment have created heavy losses and, to make an example, MALE UAVs, very active in the first stages of the conflict, can no longer fly significant missions. Belligerents, but also armed forces in the world learning from their experience, are responding by incorporating tactical UAVs into their ground forces. To do that, drones must be easy to deploy and to operate, reliable in harsh operational conditions like smoke, dust, and bad weather, all this with a limited logistic footprint. The demand for this kind of tactical UAVs is skyrocketing worldwide. Since almost 3 decades, Aeronautics specializes in the tactical segment, especially in the upper segment of Class 2 (NATO classification) UAVs, and we are today in a leading position in this segment to respond soundly to the most demanding requirements with a comprehensive family of solutions. Nonetheless, the evolution of the current scenarios is so fast and complex that, as the recent launch of ORBITER 2 LM and ORBITER 4 VTOL demonstrates, we continue expanding our portfolio and to add new capabilities to the existing ones.

FW MAG: Can you make a comparison between the ORBITER family and competing tactical UAVs in the same class?

Eyal Assenhaym: Generally speaking, the ORBITER family of tactical UAVs is known for its reliability in all operational theatres and working conditions, and this has been battle-proven. For example, the ORBITER 2 alone has over 100,000 operational flight hours with various armed forces around the world. In our segment, this is unique. ORBITER UAVs have been designed to be low-observable and survivable. Furthermore, as they are fully electric, noise is contained as well as IR signature. Only 2 operators are required to launch, fly the mission, and recovery the UAV. For smaller UAVs like the ORBITER 2 LM, only 5-6 minutes are required for launching. Operational effectiveness in all conditions is guaranteed by the capability to operating in GPS-denied environments thanks to proprietary technologies that provide specific functionalities in this sense. They are quite unique. In addition, our UAVs are extremely resilient to jamming. We already operated them in complex EW arenas, and this allowed us to constantly update the system to operate in scenarios populated with dense EW activities. Lastly, all ORBITER family members come with the same software for flying and performing the mission. The intuitive interface and automation features simplify mission management, reducing the need for extensive training and allowing small teams to operate the system efficiently. Take off and landing are automatic, and operators fly the mission rather than the aircraft, as they can simply pinpoint on a digital map to indicate to the drone the desired area to cover. AI algorithms also assist operators to discover, identify, track and – with the new ORBITER 2 LM – target the enemy. Aeronautics always guarantees initial and follow-up training to armed forces operators, as this has become a standard demand from end-users throughout the systems’ service life.

The full interview will be published in FW MAG 1-2024, available in digital format from September 27 and in print from October 7. To read it for FREE in the coming days, please register HERE.

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