Israeli unmanned air system manufacturer Aeronautics has successfully tested the operation of its Orbiter air vehicle from different types of navy patrol boats.

 Orbiter UAS ship launch - Aeronautics

Aeronautics

The company's Orbiter 2 is launched from a ship using a standard catapult, and recovered by being flown into a deck-mounted net. The UAS is also water sealed so that it can float on the sea surface until being recovered in the event of a problem with the preferred recovery method.

 Orbiter UA ship recovery - Aeronautics

Aeronautics

With a 3m (9.8ft) wingspan and a fuselage length of 1m, the Orbiter 2 has already been selected by the Israeli navy for deployment on some of its combat ships. The UAS offers an endurance of 3.5h.

Aeronautics also offers a larger Orbiter 3 vehicle with a 3.6m wingspan and 7h operating performance.

Source: Flight International