IAI demos Air Hopper for IDF
Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) unmanned helicopter has completed a proof-of-concept demonstration for the Israel Defence Force, the company announced on 2 October.
The Air Hopper demonstration involved two scenarios: one simulated the carrying of a wounded soldier to an extraction point for medical treatment, with airborne monitoring of the soldier's vital signs and real time dispatch to the ground; the other was a simulated transport of logistic supplies to an isolated force on a battlefield.
Air Hopper is a small helicopter with a payload of 100-180kgs, with a flight time of two hours and speed of up to 120km per hour. The aircraft uses an internal combustion engine which uses ordinary, 95-octane fuel.
The autonomous tactical system is designed to transport logistic equipment to the battlefield during operations to minimise the risks faced by logistic convoys en-route such as damage caused by roadside explosives, ambushes or anti-tank weapons. The operator using the autonomous system can supervise the execution of the mission and the convoy's vehicles in real time from a safe area outside the threat range.
The system can move accurately over prolonged periods of time, day or night, in tough field conditions and in any weather.
The unmanned helicopter's control system can also manage other operational capabilities such as vehicle control, real time planning and updating of routes, updating the convoy's behaviour attributes, real time receipt of mission data and a data communication system that enables it to communicate with the vehicles.
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)]()
Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
-
![SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale]()
SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions]()
SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America]()
SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
-
![Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military]()
Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
