Skylark II UAV 6 Hour Mission High Technology By IAI MALAT Israelly

The Skylark II UAV Made IAI-Malat Israel is a man-packed, hand-launched mini UAV system designed to operate in the battlefield using deployable Humvee-class field vehicles. It can be operated by a two-person crew from a ground control station (GCS). The vehicle is incorporated with a built-in launcher, GPS, a night camera and a laser marker. It is designed to perform brigade-level operations. The Skylark II is powered by a single electrical motor manufactured by Bental Industries. The engine can produce a maximum of 4kW. It is controlled by a battery pack contained in the payload pod underneath the main boom.

The propulsion system uses dual-channel permanent magnet brushless motors. A controller switches off one channel when cruising as this requires less power. The Skylark II is equipped with an electro-optical/infrared multi-sensor, a cross-coupled display, a thermal imager, a laser illuminator and an optical laser designator, which is used for targeting battlefields. The thermal imager is used to capture high-resolution images during the night by penetrating through clouds, rain, smoke, fog and smog.

The Skylark II UAV is an outgrowth of the Skylark mini-UAV system, currently operational with several armies. The 35 kg GTOW vehicle has a wingspan of 4.2 meter. It is designed to carry 6 hour missions at ranges up to 50km. The vehicle is powered by a new 4 kilowatt electrical motor, developed by Bental Industries, and driven by a battery pack contained in the payload pod underneath the main boom. The propulsion system is comprised of a dual-channel Permanent Magnet Brushless Motor and a Driver/Controller. The system delivers up to 4 kW during takeoff and climbing stages of the mission, but during cruising, when less power is needed, the driver switches one channel off, to save power, enabling extended vehicle endurance. This tandem design introduces propulsion system redundancy even with a single motor.