BARNARD MICROSYSTEMS LIMITED
helping you keep an eye on things...
The Elbit Systems " Hermes 450" UAV
An excellent site for information on UAVs manufactured by Israeli companies is www.israeli-weapons.com. In spite of the rather formidable sounding web site name, these Unmanned Air Systems can also be used in civilian applications. We would also like to thank the web master at www.israeli-weapons.com for being tremendously helpful and refreshingly enthusiastic.
The Hermes 450. Image from www.israeli-weapons.com
If you have additional photographs or technical details, we would be pleased to add your contribution and credit you for the information.
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The " Hermes 450" on border patrol |
June 30, 2004
Elbit's wholly-owned subsidiary, EFW Inc., based in Fort Worth, Texas, is providing the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) its Hermes 450 Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) along Arizona's southern border as part of the Arizona Border Control Initiative (ABCI).
Under the CBP lease contract, EFW and Elbit Systems provide UAV's, ground control stations, operational crews and support personnel for UAV flight support of border patrol operations. This initial pilot program,
which is focused on the Arizona border with Mexico, may be extended into next year and may be expanded by CBP to include the northern US border with Canada.
The ABCI initiative is intented to provide improved surveillance along the Mexican border for various homeland security applications, including illegal immigration and drug smuggling. The UAVs will supplement manned aircraft and ground sensors with flight operation scheduled for the summer of 2004. The Hermes 450 Unmanned Air Vehicles are equipped with electro-optic sensors and communications payloads providing day and night imagery to Customs and Border Protection agents. The UAVs permit greater coverage and quicker response in the rugged, desolate areas of the southwest border and are the first operational use of UAVs for border patrol in the USA.
As of July 20, 2004, there have been 42 apprehensions directly attributable to UAV surveillance. While every case may not be as dramatic, the following example, reported by The Arizona Republic, clearly demonstrates the UAV’s ability to track in remote areas, strategic use of resources, and enhanced officer safety.
On July 24, 2004, a Border Patrol UAV assisted in a border arrest. A Fort Huachuca police officer was chasing a suspect who was driving in a stolen truck. The suspect turned down a dirt road, running the officer off the road. The officer called the Border Patrol for back-up. The Border Patrol's Hermes 450 UAV spotted the pickup truck on a remote dirt road and tracked it. The truck had stopped and people were jumping out and running into the brush. A Border Patrol helicopter had to drop two agents into the area because traveling on land was too difficult. The smuggling suspect came out of the brush and started throwing “softball sized” rocks at the helicopter’s main rotor blades. The suspect was apprehended and arrested and will face " destruction of a federal aircraft," " felony alien smuggling" and " re-entry of an aggravated felon" charges. LK.
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Data used in UAV Design Guidelines |
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Hermes 450 |
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|
wingspan |
10.5 |
m |
|
length |
6.1 |
m |
|
wingspan / length |
1.721 |
|
|
take off weight Wfr+Wfu+Wpl+Wav+Weng |
450 |
Kg |
|
frame weight |
159.1 |
Kg |
|
fuel weight |
105 |
Kg |
|
payload weight |
150 |
Kg |
|
avionics weight |
10.5 |
Kg |
|
engine type |
Wankel |
|
|
UEL AR801R |
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|
|
engine power |
38.8 |
KW |
|
at |
8000 |
rpm |
|
fuel rate at above rpm |
12 |
Kg / hr |
|
fuel used at endurance rpm |
4.773 |
Kg / hr |
|
engine capacity |
294 |
cc |
|
engine weight |
25.4 |
Kg |
|
power / weight |
1.528 |
KW / Kg |
|
endurance speed |
70 |
Kph |
|
cruise speed |
130 |
Kph |
|
max speed |
176 |
Kph |
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endure_sp/max_sp |
0.398 |
|
|
max altitude |
18000 |
ft |
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endurance |
20 |
hrs |
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operational range |
200 |
Km |
|
range |
1400 |
Km |
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