Teledyne FLIR Defense has revealed that it has won a five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract worth up to $93.9 million for its nano-drones.

Under the terms of the agreement, the company will provide its Black Hornet 3 Personal Reconnaissance Systems (PRS) to the US Army.

Nano-drones

According to Teledyne FLIR Defense, the initial award under this IDIQ will cover delivery of the nano-unmanned aerial systems (UAS), as well as controllers, spare parts and training.

In 2018, the US Army began acquiring Black Hornet 3s as part of its Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) program. Since then, the Army has placed orders totaling more than $125 million for the multi-faceted drone.

Soldiers are using the advanced nano-UAVs to augment squad and small unit surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

Weighing 33g, nearly silent and with a flight time up to 25 minutes, the Black Hornet PRS transmits live video and HD still images back to the operator.

Suited for operations in contested environments, the nano-drone Black Hornet provides soldiers with immediate covert situational awareness to help them perform missions more safely and effectively, Teledyne FLIR Defense says.

Unmanned platforms

“The Black Hornet 3 gives warfighters up-to-the-minute situational understanding before and while they conduct missions,” said Dr JihFen Lei, Executive Vice President and General Manager of FLIR Defense.

“We are proud to provide this unique capability to our soldiers and honored by the US Army’s long-term commitment through the new IDIQ, building on its previous orders under the SBS program.

“FLIR Defense will continue to invest in developing unmanned platforms and smart sensors that are proving their worthiness in operational theaters worldwide. These technologies are reshaping the modern battlefield.”