Teledyne FLIR Defense Secures $94 Million Contract with US Army for Cutting-Edge Black Hornet 3 Nano-Drones

Teledyne FLIR Defense, a division of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), has secured a five-year Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract valued at up to $93.9 million to supply its Black Hornet® 3 Personal Reconnaissance Systems (PRS) to the United States Army. The initial award under this IDIQ will entail the provision of nano-unmanned aerial systems (UAS), along with controllers, spare components, and training.

In 2018, the U.S. Army initiated the procurement of Black Hornet 3 drones as part of its Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) initiative. Since then, the Army has made orders exceeding $125 million for this versatile drone. Soldiers are leveraging the advanced nano-UAVs to enhance squad and small unit surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

Weighing a mere 33 grams, nearly silent, and offering a flight duration of up to 25 minutes, the combat-tested, pocket-sized Black Hornet PRS transmits live video feeds and HD still images back to the operator. Perfectly suited for operations in contested environments, the Black Hornet delivers immediate covert situational awareness to assist soldiers in executing missions more safely and efficiently.

Black Hornet drones are presently being utilized by Ukrainian forces through contributions from the British and Norwegian governments. This month, Norway’s Ministry of Defense placed an order for 1,000 additional UAS systems. They have consistently excelled in various operations, even in the harshest conditions. FLIR Defense has supplied over 20,000 Black Hornet PRS systems to military and security entities in more than 40 nations.

“The Black Hornet 3 equips warfighters with real-time situational intel before and during mission execution,” stated Dr. JihFen Lei, executive vice president and general manager of FLIR Defense. “We take pride in providing this exceptional capability to our soldiers and are grateful for the U.S. Army’s long-term dedication via the new IDIQ, building on past orders under the SBS initiative.

“FLIR Defense will persist in investing in the advancement of unmanned platforms and intelligent sensors that are demonstrating their effectiveness in operational theaters globally,” Lei remarked. “These innovations are revolutionizing modern combat scenarios.”

The award-winning Black Hornet 3 is engineered and manufactured by FLIR Defense in Norway.