City-wide imaging sensor flies on US drone
Logos Technologies' BlackKite pod can image a 16 square kilometre area at 12,000ft. (Photo: Logos Technologies)
Logos Technologies, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America, has seen its BlackKite IR wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) pod flown on a US Army UAS for the first time.
The pod, which can image, track and record hundreds of targets moving across an area the size of a city, featured in an experimental long-range detection and identification missions during the EDGE 23 demonstration event.
Held at Yuma proving ground in May, the pod flew on a Group 4 UAS serving as a surrogate platform for the US Army’s future Air-Launched Effects (ALE) drone.
Logos Technologies VP of business development Doug Rombough said: ‘We demonstrated how our lightweight BlackKite pod could be used in the long-range detection of enemy vehicles and air defence systems,
Related Articles
Hensoldt develops demonstrator SIGINT pod for Eurodrone
Iraq emerges as customer for Turkish Aselpod airborne targeting system
Prototype quantum navigation sensor tested on Royal Navy experiments ship
‘And even though the Group 4 UAS was only meant to serve as a surrogate for ALE, we also showed how our platform-agnostic BlackKite pod could work with long-endurance Group 4 UAS.’
Weighing 17kg in the podded version, BlackKite can be mounted on planes, helicopters, and Group 3 (or larger) UAS.
At an altitude of 12,000ft, BlackKite can image a 16 square kilometre area.
More from Air Warfare
-
![Collins prepares expansion of the US Navy/Marine Tactical Combat Training System Inc II]()
Collins prepares expansion of the US Navy/Marine Tactical Combat Training System Inc II
The company has been negotiating the supply of TCTS II to US allies and partners.
-
![Spanish Air Force receives first converted A330 MRTT]()
Spanish Air Force receives first converted A330 MRTT
The second and third Airbus A330 MRTT for the Spanish Air Force have been undergoing conversion in Getafe, Madrid.
-
![Indonesia commits to further collaboration with Turkey, eyes Kaan jet and MILDEN programmes]()
Indonesia commits to further collaboration with Turkey, eyes Kaan jet and MILDEN programmes
The two countries have already signed defence industrial partnerships in recent years, most recently between Republikorp and Turkish firm Baykar in February 2025.
-
![Australia approved for $1 billion order of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles]()
Australia approved for $1 billion order of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles
The greenlight by the US State Department for up to 400 missiles reinforces the need for increased solid rocket motor (SRM) production and highlights the reason Australia wants to develop a local missile capability.
-
![L3Harris moves forward with aerial, CUAS and software solutions]()
L3Harris moves forward with aerial, CUAS and software solutions
L3Harris Technologies is investing in new systems and software for maritime operations and modernising the US Navy’s fleet of MPAs
