Opening the Skies: Elbit Systems Is Bringing the World of Drones to the Civilian Market

"The drone industry always thinks ahead. In the past we developed technology and produced drones for security needs; today we also offer it to paramilitary and civilian uses. It can also work in the other direction: civilian technologies that are integrated into the military system. Artificial intelligence is a good example," says Vered Haimovich, VP of UAV systems in the Aerospace Division at Elbit Systems.

Elbit has been in the drone industry for 30 years. It can be credited, among others, with the production of the first and largest array of drones in Israel. Since then, the company has produced many more series of drones, with both the tools and the technology becoming increasingly sophisticated with time.

What future uses do you see for drones?

"UAV systems need to be constantly updated in order to incorporate the latest technologies, so that we remain at the forefront of technology at all times. We can't afford not to be there," Haimovich answers.

"Elbit collaborates with many companies that develop sensors and algorithms that analyze and process information, which is the intelligence domain that complements the field of drones. We believe that the more we are exposed to the world of civilian applications and cooperate with companies that provides advanced sensors, artificial intelligence technologies and other complementary technologies, the better we can develop and advance the field of drones. And that will contribute to both the military and civilian domains.

"The very fact that these two markets have been opened to drones – the military which has been around for a long time and the civilian that is just starting – makes it possible to transfer technology and enjoy the best of both worlds. Everything, of course, is subject to Israeli export and marketing permits."

Drones as a replacement for cargo planes?

"We at Elbit believes that drones will be used extensively in the paramilitary (police forces, firefighting, internal security, local authorities) and civilian domains. In the area of sensors, the sky’s the limit, and the more they develop, the greater the variety of tasks that drones will be able to perform. There is no reason why they cannot replace, for example, cargo planes. These fly on predefined routes and could probably do so unmanned. We will gradually see drones replacing light planes in many tasks: photography, monitoring natural disasters, climate change phenomena, monitoring national infrastructure, search and rescue, and more. This is not merely a technological issue, but also a matter of developing and enabling regulation. It also has psychological aspects. People will begin to realize that a drone can perform the task more efficiently than a human being. Autonomous drones are just around the corner. When this happens, the regulation will have to define and enforce the ethical limits for the use of drones capable of making independent decisions."

Production based on operational needs

Vered Haimovich began her professional career at Elbit back in 1995. She has held a variety of engineering and managerial positions in the areas of software and system engineering, project management, business development, and marketing. She's been managing all the business activities of unmanned aircraft in the company since 2021. Haimovitz explained that her trajectory at Elbit Systems is not unique: Elbit promotes and trains engineers, developers, and graduates of the operative units in the Israeli army (IDF) to fill a variety of senior management positions in the company.

When asked about a particularly interesting project in which she took part, she describes being part of the development team for a ground control system for a UAV that was developed for the Israeli Air Force - a leading operational system in the IDF with hundreds of thousands of flight hours.

"Every system that we sell is tailored to the customers' operational needs and complies with their requirements," she emphasizes. "As a business-minded company, we fully concentrate our efforts on developing essential systems for operational tasks in accordance with the needs of our clients, whether it is the IDF, which is a national mission for us, or other armies worldwide. The security systems, primarily the Defense Ministry's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure (MAFAT) and the Defense Cooperation Directorate, help us develop the next generations of drones and products, and with appropriate export permits, support us in marketing them internationally.

"A basic UAV system consists of the aircraft itself, a ground system that controls it through communication, and the sensors designed for various operational needs. Usually, what varies between drones are the type of sensors and subsystems they carry and their capabilities.

"Elbit's portfolio is unique compared to other companies that manufacture drones, among others because it covers the entire range of UAVs, from the smallest (drones and UAVs a soldier can carry on his back) to the largest weighing a ton and a half, and almost all of them form the backbone of the drones used by the IDF.

"We are in Tier 1 of UAV system suppliers worldwide. Elbit is ahead of the market in all core areas. Our teams of engineers are constantly working on the development of the next UAV system. These days, they are developing three new systems that we will unveil in the coming years. This is a business that changes all the time, and our mission is to ensure our systems differentiate themselves technologically and businesswise from the rest, at all times. There are strong competitors in the market all around. Our advantage over the competitors is innovation in various fields of knowledge, which enables the production of reliable and safe system solutions. Elbit brings to the table 30 years of experience in developing drones, which are constantly being perfected."

Intelligence gathering, small-scale warfare, and protection of the forces

The Hermes 900 drone is Elbit System's flagship drone and has been in operational use in the Israeli Air Force since 2015. Known as "Kohav" or "Star," it has taken part in all rounds of conflict in recent years.

The medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV is designed for extended flight at high altitudes and carries a wide range of sensors and incorporates advanced technologies. The Hermes 900 has been sold to 15 countries around the world, including the in the European Union, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and countries in Southeast Asia. The Hermes 900 is used for a variety of military missions, including collecting intelligence, ground support, maritime patrol, infrastructure monitoring, search and rescue, and more.

Elbit also adapted its SkEye system for Hermes 900 missions. SkEye is a system that constantly and closely monitors an area of interest up to 80 square kilometers large, providing ground forces with a complete picture of the situation with insights based on raw data through advanced analytics.

Able to operate for several hours aboard the Hermes 900, SkEye makes it possible to make decisions on the course of action in an extremely short time, while carrying out the task.

Haimovitz proudly discussed the "SkyRider" and "Sky Racer" tactical mini-drone systems that are both in active operational service in the IDF, successfully supporting ground forces in combat and routine security operations. Their export versions, Skylark 1 and Skylark 3, have been sold to dozens of customers worldwide.

Give an example of a recent development of Elbit.

“We recently developed a unique derivative of the Hermes for the Swiss Air Force called the Starliner. It is an aircraft with a wingspan of 17 meters that weighs 1.6 tons and has an endurance of 36 hours. It can fly at an altitude of 30 thousand feet and carry day and night photography systems, radar systems, and other technological devices for an additional weight of 450 kg. The Starliner was also designed to perform missions in extreme weather conditions, including icing conditions. Apart from these unique features, this is the first drone of its kind in the world that has dual military and civilian certifications - allowing it to fly without restriction over densely populated areas and along the flight paths of manned civilian aircraft. This is nothing less than a revolution in the field of aviation, which we at Elbit are bringing about with this unique, most advanced technology that we developed. For this achievement, we teamed up with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Ministry of Transportation, and after a development process that took six years, we received a license based on an internationally recognized standard. It's unique in the world and allows the UAV to fly in any civil airspace, like any other manned aircraft, not only in air corridors designated for security purposes.

"Many drone industries are also currently striving to obtain this type of license and declare that they have the ability to fly in civilian air space, yet they still receive a limited, military-only flight license, which allows them to fly only in certain and strictly closed airspaces. The unique process that we carried out includes both civilian and military licensing (which is required for the military customers for their own needs), so that we actually have dual licensing."

How did the Starliner receive its license?

"The Starliner includes systems for detecting and preventing airplane collisions, as well as redundant avionics systems, a ground proximity and collision warning system, the ability to take off and land automatically in difficult weather conditions, and it is equipped with a powerful heavy-fuel engine. All these provides the necessary safety margins to allow it to fly in this manner."

When do you think your drones will reach also the civilian market?

"Civilian applications are waiting for these drones, and I believe that it is a matter of a just a few years until they are adopted as a replacement for light manned aircraft, which currently perform most of the work. Elbit Systems is breaking ground with the Starliner UAS and is very proud of it. This is a breakthrough that strengthens our leadership in the international UAV market," Haimovich emphasizes.

"The ability to integrate a UAV system in civil aviation space will allow governments, as well as international and commercial organizations, to leverage the unique capabilities of the sophisticated drones to improve security and environmental protection."

In collaboration with Elbit Systems