Cormorant UAS Showcases its Capabilities to IDF

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The Cormorant UAS has a unique dual-role capability as the only UAS recognized by NATO to fulfill both cargo delivery and CasEvac missions. As such, the aircraft is designed to exceed the standard reliability and handling qualities required of a typical, tactical UAS in order to meet the requirements to safely ferry human “cargo” back from the battlefield.

On May 7, Israel-based Tactical Robotics (a subsidiary of Urban Aeronautics Ltd) successfully performed a first “mission representative” demonstration for its lead customer, the Israel Defence Forces. The company presented for the first time Cormorant’s capability to be the first UAS system fielded for unmanned casualty evacuation missions.

The demo took place at Megiddo Airfield in the Galilee and consisted of taking off with a load of cargo, performing a pre-planned flight to a specified point of delivery, offloading the cargo, and loading of a specialized, medical training manikin simulating a casualty which was then returned to the point of origin.

A monitor supplied by the IDF’s chief surgeon Trauma Branch transmits vital information to the crews on the ground, in addition to a video camera for two-way communication with the patient.

With the exception of the loading of the ‘casualty’ and off-loading of cargo, the entire simulated mission was performed autonomously, according to the company announcement.