The central Asian nation of Georgia has flown its first domestically-produced unmanned air vehicle (UAV) from a military base outside Tbilisi, the national capital. The catapult-launched UAV can achieve up to 9,840ft (3,000m) altitude and 86kt (160km/h), boasting an 8h endurance.
Georgia has previously purchased a number of Israeli systems, including the Elbit Hermes 450 and Skylark, which were used during Georgia's 2008 conflict with Russia. Reports from Georgia indicate that the new aircraft will be equipped with a gimbaled electro-optical/infrared camera payload, although the manufacturer is not mentioned.
Neither the Georgian defence ministry nor the nation's Washington-based embassy immediately responded to questions.
 |
|---|
| © Republic of Georgia |
Source: Flight International
