From Heron to Super Heron
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עברית (Hebrew)
Operators of the Israel aerospace industries (IAI) Heron unmanned air system (UAS) are now being offered a transformation plan to use their existing systems to get the advanced performance of the heavy fuel Super Heron.
This proposal is based on taking the avionic package of the older version and “transplant” it into the new Super Heron fuselage that can house the bigger engine.
The Super Heron has new aerodynamic design, featuring more streamlined curves, larger engine bay and winglets, a combination that improves the UAS’ aerodynamic efficiency.
Unmanned systems conference 2014 – Israel
The engine bay was designed to carry two engine types – either the existing Rotax 914 engine or a new Heavy Fuel Engine (HFE) with fuel injection made by the Italian company DieselJet SRL.
According to IAI to compensate for the additional weight, the heavy fuel offers better fuel consumption. This combined with the winglets, and the longer wings, increased the air speed of the Super Heron to above 150 Kts. This, the Israeli company says, is vital when the UAS is carrying different types of radar payloads.
The Super Heron max takeoff weight is 1500 kg and that includes a 450 kg payload.
As all the avionics installed in the Super Heron are identical to this used by the Heron, so IAI is offering existing customers to buy only the new fuselage and the engine of the Super Heron and to install in it the avionics of the Heron.
