Heron IAI concluded a successful demonstration of the Heron unmanned aerial system in Brazil. Performed for the Brazilian federal police, the Heron demonstrated its capabilities to perform border protection, counter-smuggling, drug interdiction and protection of natural resources.
The demonstration took place over San Miguel de Iguacu in the region of Parana, under rapidly changing, tropical weather conditions that frequently limit manned flights. Throughout its mission the Heron was operated within civilian controlled airspace demonstrating effective integration into the local civil and military air traffic control.
The successful demonstration was the culmination of two years of preparations by a select team established by Brazil’s federal police to evaluate unmanned aerial systems operations. According to IAI, the Brazilian team evaluated several platforms offered by different suppliers and selected IAI’s Heron for the demonstration, particularly for its multi-payload carrying capability, autonomous takeoff, landing and mission handling, and on-board satellite communications capability. The Brazilian team has expressed its satisfaction from the system’s performance.
IAI’s Heron have participated recently in a number of demonstrations in el-Salvador, the Mediterranean sea and South Pacific, where they were evaluated, primarily on maritime surveillance missions, by the U.S. Special Operations Command, the Spanish Navy and Australian Customs service.
