Latest news with #BlackHornet
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Fort Benning soldiers optimize drone capabilities at new innovation lab
FORT BENNING, Ga. () — The U.S. Army has been implementing drone technology into its operations for years, in an effort to reduce unnecessary soldier deaths. Fort Benning's experimental force and Maneuver Innovation Lab play key roles in optimizing drone capabilities. 'Alright, just go through the box there,' Sgt. Zakary Kinard instructs Pfc. Sebastian Kelleher, who is piloting palm-sized drone through an obstacle course. Kinard and Kelleher both work with the U.S. Army's experimental force. Part of their mission is training with drone technology, as well as collaborating with Fort Benning's new Maneuver Innovation Lab. An infantryman by training, Kelleher has adapted to working with his team but it was jarring at first. 'Being that I was mainly trained to have a weapon on ground and walk with my feet, having a drone in hand was completely new,' Kelleher said. He joined the Army about a year-and-a-half ago, joining the experimental force after finishing his initial training. The job has involved plenty on-the-spot learning. 'A lot of this is experimental, so his [Kinard's] training is directly, like, applied to what you're going to be doing outside,' Kelleher said. 'You've got to trust your equipment, trust your team.' Working with the Maneuver Innovation Lab, the experimental force tests drones and other technology, optimizing it for use by the Army. The lab is a collaboration between soldiers, Columbus State University students, vendors, contractors and potential contractors, who work together to identify technology strengths and weaknesses and engineer solutions. For drones, they're looking at everything from visuals and range to battery life and load-carrying capacity, which all impact usage in military operations. 'The purpose of, you know, the Black Hornet, all the different aerial assets that we have, is to, you know, gain situational awareness on the battlefield,' Kinard said. 'It minimizes the threat level to us ourselves and partnering forces.' The Black Hornet is a short-range reconnaissance drone. According to Kinard, the Army can use it in place of a human to conduct surveillance and check hallways and rooms for signs of danger. 'We always want to put the technology in front of the forces just to eliminate casualties,' Kinard said. But using drone technology in place of soldiers can still come with caveats. According to Kelleher, the Black Hornet drone, specifically, is slow-moving and has a battery life of just 40 minutes. Its docking station has a battery life of three hours and a charge time of about an hour-and-a-half. Drones are also unable to gather all of the same information a human would. 'As soldiers, we're trained to have, to use, all of our senses,' said Kinard. 'So, we're not necessarily getting all the feedback that we would if we had an actual soldier out there.' Whether a soldier will go in person or use a drone to conduct reconnaissance depends on the situation and its risk level. Kinard said, 'There's times that we would put a person out there. We just try to eliminate it as much as possible with the assets that we have.' According to Kelleher, some recent suggestions the experimental force has made at the Maneuver Innovation Lab are already being implemented. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Teledyne FLIR Defense Unveils Multiple Upgrades to Black Hornet 4 Nano-Drone at SOF Week
Teledyne FLIR Defense has announced a number of upgrades to its Black Hornet® 4 Personal Reconnaissance System to further boost operational effectiveness for warfighters. Improvements include a 50% increase in Black Hornet's radio communications range from two to three kilometers. The BH4's new Android tablet now has up to twice the battery life, plus a battery heater for charging in cold temperatures. The new tablet also features improved ergonomics, making it easier to use while wearing gloves. Black Hornet 4 represents the next generation of lightweight nano-drones, able to provide enhanced covert situational awareness to small fighting units. Its 12-megapixel daytime camera and high-resolution thermal imager deliver crisp video and still images to the operator. At just 70 grams, Black Hornet 4 can fly for over 30 minutes and more than three kilometers. Fifty percent greater comms range and easier-to-use Android tablet with twice the battery life are some of new user-driven features on Black Hornet unmanned aerial system TAMPA, Fla., May 07, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), has announced a number of upgrades to its Black Hornet® 4 Personal Reconnaissance System to further boost operational effectiveness for warfighters. The enhanced features are being showcased at the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week annual conference at the Tampa Convention Center, May 6 to May 8. In development over the past year, the series of improvements include a 50% increase in Black Hornet's radio communications range from two to three kilometers (in optimal conditions). The BH4's new Android tablet, part of the ground control station, now has up to twice the battery life, plus a battery heater for charging in cold temperatures. The new tablet also features improved ergonomics, making it easier to use while wearing gloves. Black Hornet 4 can operate in 25-knot winds and rain, and extensive testing was performed to validate its already rugged endurance capabilities. The drone itself is now IP-52 rated, able to withstand 7.6 mm of rain per hour while in flight, while the ground control station boasts an IP-54 rating. All of the upgrades are being rolled out immediately. "Since its inception, our team has focused on continually improving the Black Hornet UAS to ensure maximum mission effectiveness," said Ketil Vanebo, vice president of Unmanned Systems-Norway at Teledyne FLIR Defense. "We've listened to feedback from operators at the tactical edge and incorporated their needs into these latest capabilities and features. We're proud to make them available to Black Hornet 4 users worldwide." Black Hornet 4 represents the next generation of lightweight nano-drones, able to provide enhanced covert situational awareness to small fighting units. Its 12-megapixel daytime camera and high-resolution thermal imager deliver crisp video and still images to the operator. At just 70 grams Black Hornet 4 can fly for over 30 minutes and more than three kilometers. Flight performance is augmented by advanced obstacle avoidance capabilities and other features. Compared to quad-rotor drones, the single rotor Black Hornet 4 UAV has an extremely low visual and audible signature, enabling it to identify threats day or night without being detected. Able to launch in less than 20 seconds and well suited for missions in GPS-denied environments, Black Hornet 4 can be used to rapidly identify targets beyond visual line-of-sight and assess weapon effects in real-time.
Business Wire
07-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Teledyne FLIR Defense Unveils Multiple Upgrades to Black Hornet 4 Nano-Drone at SOF Week
TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), has announced a number of upgrades to its Black Hornet® 4 Personal Reconnaissance System to further boost operational effectiveness for warfighters. The enhanced features are being showcased at the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week annual conference at the Tampa Convention Center, May 6 to May 8. 'We've listened to feedback from operators at the tactical edge and incorporated their needs into these latest capabilities and features. We're proud to make them available to Black Hornet 4 users worldwide.' In development over the past year, the series of improvements include a 50% increase in Black Hornet's radio communications range from two to three kilometers (in optimal conditions). The BH4's new Android tablet, part of the ground control station, now has up to twice the battery life, plus a battery heater for charging in cold temperatures. The new tablet also features improved ergonomics, making it easier to use while wearing gloves. Black Hornet 4 can operate in 25-knot winds and rain, and extensive testing was performed to validate its already rugged endurance capabilities. The drone itself is now IP-52 rated, able to withstand 7.6 mm of rain per hour while in flight, while the ground control station boasts an IP-54 rating. All of the upgrades are being rolled out immediately. 'Since its inception, our team has focused on continually improving the Black Hornet UAS to ensure maximum mission effectiveness,' said Ketil Vanebo, vice president of Unmanned Systems-Norway at Teledyne FLIR Defense. 'We've listened to feedback from operators at the tactical edge and incorporated their needs into these latest capabilities and features. We're proud to make them available to Black Hornet 4 users worldwide.' Black Hornet 4 represents the next generation of lightweight nano-drones, able to provide enhanced covert situational awareness to small fighting units. Its 12-megapixel daytime camera and high-resolution thermal imager deliver crisp video and still images to the operator. At just 70 grams Black Hornet 4 can fly for over 30 minutes and more than three kilometers. Flight performance is augmented by advanced obstacle avoidance capabilities and other features. Compared to quad-rotor drones, the single rotor Black Hornet 4 UAV has an extremely low visual and audible signature, enabling it to identify threats day or night without being detected. Able to launch in less than 20 seconds and well suited for missions in GPS-denied environments, Black Hornet 4 can be used to rapidly identify targets beyond visual line-of-sight and assess weapon effects in real-time. FLIR Defense has delivered more than 33,000 Black Hornet drones to military and security forces in over 45 countries. The U.S. Army began acquiring Black Hornet systems in 2018 for its Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) program. Since then, it has placed orders under SBS and other vehicles totaling more than $300 million. The award-winning Black Hornet is designed and built by Teledyne FLIR Defense in Norway. About Teledyne FLIR Defense Teledyne FLIR Defense has been providing advanced, mission-critical technology and systems for more than 45 years. Our products are on the frontlines of the world's most pressing military, security and public safety challenges. As a global leader in thermal imaging, we design and build sophisticated surveillance sensors for air, land and maritime use. We develop the most rugged, trusted unmanned air and ground platforms, as well as intelligent sensing devices used to detect chemicals, biological agents, radiation and explosives. At Teledyne FLIR Defense we bring together this expertise to deliver solutions that enable critical decisions and keep our world safe – from any threat, anywhere. To learn more, visit us online or follow @flir and @flir_defense. About Teledyne Technologies Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated digital imaging products and software, instrumentation, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne's operations are primarily located in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne's website at
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US special operators want drones to help them execute a dangerous mission — fighting in caves
US special operations forces want new drones for cave and tunnel operations. Drones could offer communication and situational awareness benefits over military working dogs. US special operators are often at the forefront of working with industry on new technologies. Fighting inside caves and tunnels is a tough and dangerous mission, even for elite special operations forces. Drones could help solve key problems operators face, such as communication and threat detection issues, while reducing the risk to human warfighters and military working dogs. SOCOM, on behalf of SOCCENT, which oversees US special operations forces in the Middle East, said in a recent procurement notice first reported by The War Zone that caves present severe logistical problems for operators. The battlespaces are confined spaces characterized by unpredictable terrain and limited visibility. A narrow passageway can instantly become a kill box. In the Middle East, both state and non-state actors have used networks of caves and tunnels, complicating military operations against them. "To mitigate these risks and enhance operational effectiveness, we propose the acquisition and deployment of a dedicated UAS solution," SOCOM said in the request, referring to uncrewed aerial system solutions. Drones come in a range of sizes, from pocket-size Black Hornet drones to quadcopters and octocopters to large, sophisticated combat and reconnaissance drones like the Reaper. Small UAS solutions have proven tremendously valuable in Ukraine, where some have flown into the open hatches of tanks with precision. SOCOM is seeking a compact first-person-view drone. The fast, real-time intelligence provided by drones would not only reduce dangers to operators and dogs but also "significantly improve the safety and efficiency of cave clearing operations, ultimately contributing to mission success and force protection," SOCOM said. Per the procurement notice, a specific but unnamed company has been identified as the only vendor that can provide the desired platform, training, and capabilities for this drone. SOCOM noted that the model has a compact body enabling it "to operate effectively in confined spaces." Subterranean and underground operations are daunting. Tunnel warfare has been a key focus in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts, and training for fights in these brutal environments has increased in recent years. While it's unclear which specific drone model Special Operations Command is hoping to acquire for its forces, the notice is indicative of a larger priority to introduce more drones into operations. At a symposium last month, special operations leadership and defense industry officials spoke candidly about the need to buy and develop more drones and autonomous systems to help their operators address difficult threats. When it comes to adapting new technology quickly, SOCOM benefits from a comparatively flexible acquisition process, as well as close relationships with industry partners able to help it rapidly iterate and improve new capabilities. SOCOM needs cheap solutions for future problems, as well as the problems facing operators right now. There are cheap, commercially available systems that could be updated with new software and hardware components depending on threats, countermeasures, and the needs of the operator. There are also specialized solutions that agile outfits can field quickly. Rising US defense technology company Anduril Industries, for instance, began its work with SOCOM attempting to solve immediate drone and counter-drone problems operators were facing, Anduril Chief Strategy Officer Chris Brose said at the recent symposium. For its caves and tunnels problem, SOCOM is seeking an already available solution that could make these missions easier and safer by incorporating emerging technology. Read the original article on Business Insider
