UAVs

Flight International online news 09:30GMT: The unmanned air vehicle that will provide the platform for the UK’s Watchkeeper reconaissance system flew in civil airspace in public at the ParcAberporth UAV flying display and exhibition on Wednesday.

 

The 450kg Hermes 450 (pictured) is built by Israel’s Elbit Systems and is the basis of the Watchkeeper system being provided by Thales.

It followed a series of flights at the facility on the west Wales coast earlier in the week, one of which was in front of officials from the UK Ministry of Defence.

It was the first time a UAV of more than 150kg has flown in non-segregated UK airspace. Flight International will have a full report on the day in our 13-19 September issue.

Our 6-12 September issue also has an extensive special feature on UAVs in civil airspace while Flight's defence editor has written a first-hand blog from ParcAberporth.

MURDO MORRISON/LONDON