Israeli Firm Unveils Drones that Can be Launched from Grenade Launchers, Tanks

Israel’s Spear UAV has unveiled its Ninox family of encapsulated drones which can be launched from a grenade launcher by individual soldiers, from a mobile land platform, or from an aerial or maritime system.

Built to withstand extreme environmental conditions and vibrations, Ninox is available in a range of drone and capsule sizes. Requiring no deployment, the Ninox system comprises a drone, launched at high speed from the weapon, which then immediately unfolds and stabilizes in the air without operator intervention.

There are currently three solutions in the Ninox family: Ninox 40, Ninox 66 and Ninox 103, a Spear UAV press release said.

 However, the PR did not specify if this is a fire-or-forget system or of it can be retrieved. If it is of the former type, then what happens to the data captured? Questions sent to the PR agency of Spear UAV did not receive a response till the time of writing.

Designed for single-user operation, this micro-tactical drone system features an encapsulated drone and control unit. Weighing under 250g - it can be incorporated into the soldier's vest and carried during combat. The Ninox 40 has a flight capacity of up to 40 minutes, extensive ISTAR capabilities, day and night camera for enhanced situational awareness, automatic tracking, and can be launched on the move.

The Ninox 66 tactical multi-drone system has been designed for launch from stationary and mobile platforms, such as MBT and IFV. It features swarm, mesh and computer vision capabilities, automatic target tracking, homing algorithms and more. It has up to 50 minutes' flight time, and capable of carrying payloads of up to 700g in wind speeds of up to 20 knots.

The Ninox 103 is designed for launch with payloads of up to 1.5 kg from large scale air, sea and land platforms. It i can achieve up to 60 minutes' flight time, in wind speeds of up to 20 knots, and features the most advanced capabilities, including swarm, mesh, computer vision, target tracking and homing algorithms.

"The Ninox systems were developed as a direct response to the need of military forces for immediate intelligence capabilities,” says Gadi Kuperman, Founder and CEO of Spear. “This technology will enable forces to use drones as standard kit.”