Defense and security UAV specialist Teledyne FLIR Defense has unveiled the upgraded fourth-generation model of its highly touted Black Hornet drone, an aerial asset that has proven vital in surveillance and intelligence gathering work for Ukraine defense forces, among others.

The California-based unit of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated said its Black Hornet 4 drone has been updated to deliver enhanced range, endurance, imaging, and covert situational awareness performance to operators in conflict situations. The previous model has been provided to Ukraine by a UK-led group of supporting nations and through US aid.

Teledyne Flir Defense rolled out its new nano drone – which the company calls a Personal Reconnaissance System – at this week’s Association of the US Army (AUSA) conference in Washington, DC.

The introduction came less than three months after the Pentagon signed a deal to considerably augment its existing fleet of the palm-sized craft as part of a wider $93 million provisioning deal announced in July.

The new iteration of the 70-gram mini-UAV features a 12-megapixel daytime camera with improved low-light performance and a new high-resolution thermal imager providing refined still and video captures to the operator. The new Black Hornets have flight capacities of 30 minutes, distance ranges of two kilometers, and resistance to winds as strong as 25 knots.

Their far smaller girth and internal mechanics enable Black Hornet drones to operate decreased smaller visual or audio signatures and remain less detectable by hostile forces.

The new iteration of the craft also has sport-enhanced obstacle avoidance tech that decreases the risk of collisions during remote or automated flight.

JihFen Lei, executive vice president and general manager of Teledyne Flir Defense, says the new generation of Black Hornet drones will prove even more valuable to soldiers in the US, Ukraine, and 40 other nations using the UAV for over-the-hill reconnaissance, covert offensive, and precision aerial strike planning.

“Black Hornet 4 takes the features and capabilities that made Black Hornet 3 world renowned to the next level,” said Dr. JihFen Lei, general manager of Teledyne Flir Defense. “We’ve worked closely with customers and end users to make this system even more valuable for dismounted soldiers in need of situational understanding or engaged in covert operations, where precise and immediate intel is crucial. Black Hornet 4 is future-proof nano-drone technology.”