Avionics Services To Produce Heron-Based UAV

Avionics Services, the Brazilian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) arena, is heading to produce Medium Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) UAV, the “Caçador”.

The manufacturing process will be taken by the local industry. Avionics Services has started the process of production, maintenance and operation for the manufacturing of the Caçador, the company announced in its press release on Tuesday.

Transfer of technology is made by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to Avionics. The Caçador multi-mission system is based on IAI’s Heron UAV, which has proven its operational capabilities worldwide.

Heron is used operationally by the Brazilian Federal Police since 2010. The Federal Police have accumulated a substantial amount of operational experience with the Heron UAS which allows it to operate the system in a variety of complex scenarios.  

Caçador will be equipped with an automatic takeoff and landing system (ATOL) and will be adapted for a broad range of tasks, utilizing diverse mission payloads.

Caçador will carry multiple payloads for line-of-sight missions or beyond line of sight using satellite communications. Its sensors will feed ISR data to the ground segment and to tactical-level end users in real-time. The system includes an advanced ground segment offering the ultimate level of Man Machine Interface (MMI) through advanced, ergonomic and modular design.

A cooperation agreement was also signed between IAI and Avionics Services to conduct the companies' joint activities in the Brazilian Defense market. This includes the marketing and manufacture of aircraft systems, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), sensors and upgrades of aerial platforms.