The Israeli company Elbit Systems has developed a hybrid version of the Skylark 3 reconnaissance drone and is going to present it during the Singapore airshow. The flight duration of this device will be three times longer than that of the basic version.
Hybrid drones capable of traveling longer distances than fully electric. At the same time, they consume less fuel than devices with an internal combustion engine.
Skylark 3 is an electric aircraft-type drone with a maximum take-off weight of 45 kilograms and a wingspan of 4.8 meters. It is launched from a catapult, is able to stay in the air for up to six hours and carry up to 10 kilograms of payload. The flight range of Skylark 3 is more than 100 kilometers.
Elbit Systems announced on February 14 that it will present a hybrid version of Skylark 3 during the Singapore Airshow. Skylark 3 Hybrid is the same in size and weight, but is able to spend three times more time in the air - up to 18 hours. To quickly get to the destination area, the drone will use an internal combustion engine, and switch to an electric motor on the spot.
The flight range of the Skylark 3 Hybrid is 120 kilometers. It is launched, like the basic version, from a catapult. Two such drones can participate in one mission at once, simultaneously controlled by a ground control station.
Earlier we wrote about the Merlin-VR reconnaissance drone with a hybrid engine, which was developed by the Smolensk Research Institute of Modern Telecommunications Technologies. It can fly at an altitude of up to five kilometers and continuously conduct observations for ten hours.
Vasilisa Chernyavtseva
