The Black Hornet Drone is a miniaturized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for reconnaissance and surveillance. It has an exceptionally small, lightweight frame and incorporates advanced aerodynamics and propulsion systems for precise, agile flight performance. Equipped with high-resolution cameras and autonomous capabilities, this engineering marvel provides military forces with a tactical advantage, enabling discreet data collection and intelligence-gathering in real time for squad-level deployment.
The Black Hornet was invented by Norwegian company Prox Dynamics AS, which was acquired in 2016 for $134 million by FLIR Systems. The drone was introduced in 2011 and has undergone several iterations.
The newest version, the Black Hornet 3 (which was named a 2019 Popular Science ‘Best of What’s New’ Grand Award winner in the Security category) weighs 1.16 oz. and is 6.6 in. from nose to tail. It was designed for operations in highly contested and GPS-denied environments. It’s nearly silent, has a flight time of up to 25 minutes and transmits live high-definition visible and thermal video to the user.
It’s primarily used by military and defense organizations for reconnaissance and situational awareness. Some of the countries known to have deployed it include The U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Norway and, most recently, Ukraine, which is known to have received 300 units to date, with another 1,000 on the way.
FLIR Defense says it has delivered more than 14,000 Black Hornet PRS systems to military and security forces in 40 countries, with the last publicly available price at $195,000 per unit. This puts the potential revenue for the system to date at $2.73 billion, or a little more than 20 times what FLIR Systems paid to acquire the company.
Miniaturization: The Black Hornet Nano Drone is exceptionally small and lightweight, weighing 1.16 oz. and is 6.6 in. in length. The diameter of its twin rotors is 4.8 in. Achieving this level of miniaturization while retaining functionality and endurance was a significant engineering challenge.
Aerodynamics: Despite its size, the drone has exceptional stability and maneuverability due to its aerodynamic shape. Engineers have meticulously optimized the drone's form and materials to ensure efficient flight performance.
Propulsion: To achieve these flight capabilities, engineers developed miniature propulsion systems, such as electric motors and propellers powered by a field-replaceable battery.
Materials: Advanced lightweight materials such as carbon fiber and high-strength polymers have been extensively used in the drone's construction to ensure durability and enhance flight performance.
Sensors: Its sensor payload includes an electro-optical camera capable of 640 x 480 video and 1,600 x 1,200 snapshots, and thermal imaging devices capable of 160 x 120 video and snapshots. The Black Hornet does not carry any weapons—at least not yet.
Autonomy and AI: The drone's onboard artificial intelligence and autonomous navigation enable it to conduct pre-programmed missions, follow specific routes, react to changing environmental conditions and even automatically return to its dock without constant human input.
Communication: Engineers have developed robust communication protocols for seamless transmission of data between the drone and its operator, even in challenging environments or adverse conditions at a range of 1.24 miles. The data link is encrypted, uses dynamic power and frequency hopping and can communicate beyond line-of-site. The available frequencies have not been disclosed, but available mission data includes AES 256 encrypted video and snapshot metadata, STANAG 4609 (NATO’s standard exchange format for motion imagery) and the communications are Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) compatible.
Power Management: The drone's engineering encompasses advanced power management systems to ensure optimal battery life, allowing flight time of 25 minutes at speeds up to 13.42 mph.
Stealth and Low Signature: The drone's acoustic and visual signature is rated as “best-in class,” meaning it’s extremely difficult for adversaries to detect or counter. It can be 10 feet away from a person without being heard.