THOR VTOL Completes Environmental Qualification Tests Ahead of Delivery of 1,000 Units

18 Agustus 2020

According to MaxDefense, Tthe Philippine Army ordered more than 500 sets of THOR unmanned aerial systems as part of its C4ISTAR Level 1 Unmanned Aerial Systems, with each set/system having 2 UAVs and a control system, all of which can be carried by a 2-person scout team. This is why the total UAVs are said to be more than 1,000 units.” (photo : Elbit Systems)

HAIFA, Israel --  Elbit Systems' THOR, a multi-rotor Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) mini Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), successfully completed a series of environmental qualification tests ahead of the delivery of more than a thousand of units to an army in Southeast Asia. As announced on October 6, 2019, the Company was awarded a $153 million contract to provide a networked multi-layered UAS array to an army in Southeast Asia, including more than 1,000 THOR VTOL mini-UAS.

The environmental qualification tests measured the operational durability of the THOR VTOL mini-UAS under a range of extreme environmental conditions and its capability to withstand the physical stress requirements under the MIL-STD-810. The tests demonstrated the capability of THOR to maintain operability in temperatures varying from minus 40ºC up to 65ºC, withstand hard gusting rain and rough vibrations, and resist penetration and damage from blowing sand and dust.

The THOR VTOL mini-UAS is designed for surveillance and reconnaissance missions over land and at sea. Electrically propelled, THOR is capable of carrying up to three kg of payloads and has a flight duration capability of up to 75 minutes of operation, a maximal range of 10 kilometers and a flight ceiling of up to 2,000 ft.

(Elbit Systems)