The Sky Rider, a 7-kilogram UAV system that cost NIS 200 million to develop, is intended to aid a battalion on the ground by providing aerial intelligence images in real time. The Israel Defense Forces is currently in the final stages of testing the second generation of Sky Riders – a mini, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system intended to aid a battalion on the ground, providing it with aerial intelligence images in real time. The Sky Rider weighs about 7 kilograms and is equipped with cameras that produce video images of the battlefield where the battalion is active. This is the only tool that provides forces in the field with such information. The tests are being carried out by Elbit Systems, the main contractor in the project – in which about NIS 200 million has been invested – in cooperation with the IDF. (Read more)
