Panther

The Panther is a tilt-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed by IAI to conduct Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions from unprepared areas. The Panther combines the flight capabilities of an airplane with helicopter-like hovering. The airframe consists of three tilt-rotor propellers and a fixed wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) system, which enable a runway-free takeoff and landing on an unprepared area. This UAV layout has been patented by IAI. The Panther was unveiled in early October 2010 after having completed a series of flight tests using prototypes. The UAV system is expected to go operational with the Israel Defense Forces by 2011. It can take off and land automatically by a simple click of the operator console, thus eliminating the need for an external pilot. The automatic flight control system controls the transitions between the hovering takeoff phase to forward flight and vice versa before landing. The three propellers are driven by three independent ultra-quiet electric motors. The air vehicle weighs 65 kg and can loiter for approximately six hours with a radius of operation of 60 kilometers and an altitude of 10,000-ft. It carries a MiniPOP payload fitted with day/night stabilized camera with a laser range finder, pointer or laser designator. The Mini Panther is a man-portable smaller version weighing up to 12 kg that can loiter for approximately 2 hours, carrying a Micro-POP payload. The Panther control station, transported on a midsize vehicle, can store up to three aircraft, as well as the ground data link, the support equipment and spare parts, all of which allow the troops' autonomous operation on the field at a tactical level. Two operators control the mission using two fully redundant identical consoles. The Mini Panther system includes two air vehicles and a command and control unit, and is carried in backpacks by two soldiers. Designed to be entirely automatic, both Panther and Mini Panther can be controlled by one operator, while the command and control station has two operators to control the station and oversee the mission.

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