Black Hornet® 3
Teledyne Flir · United States · also known as PRS, Personal Reconnaissance System · Updated
Black Hornet 3 is a palm-sized, helicopter-configuration nano-UAV made by Teledyne FLIR of the United States, giving an individual dismounted soldier immediate, covert situational awareness. It descends from the original Black Hornet developed by the Norwegian company Prox Dynamics, which FLIR Systems acquired in 2016.
Overview
Prox Dynamics developed the first Black Hornet (the PD-100) in Norway in the early 2010s as a "personal reconnaissance system" small enough for one soldier to carry, launch and operate without support from a specialist UAV team. FLIR Systems bought Prox Dynamics for about US$134 million in 2016 and continued the product line; FLIR itself became Teledyne FLIR after Teledyne Technologies' US$8 billion acquisition of FLIR in 2021. Black Hornet 3 is a later production generation, offering longer flight time and an improved sensor package over the original PD-100.
Design and capabilities
Black Hornet 3 is a coaxial-rotor micro-helicopter, small and light enough to be carried on a utility belt or in a pocket — the original PD-100 that the family is based on measured about 16 × 2.5 cm and weighed 18 g with its battery, and later generations have kept a similar hand-held scale while adding capability. It is battery-powered and carries a stabilised electro-optical and infrared imaging payload that streams live video and still images back to a handheld controller over an encrypted digital datalink, letting an operator look around corners, over walls or into buildings without exposing themselves. Teledyne FLIR does not publish a full independent specification sheet for Black Hornet 3 separate from the newer Black Hornet 4.
Operational history
The UK's Brigade Reconnaissance Force first deployed an early Black Hornet in Afghanistan from Camp Bastion; it was withdrawn there in 2016–2017 before the British Army reintroduced later Black Hornet variants for research and eventual frontline use from 2019. Black Hornet 3 and its successors are now used by armed forces including the United States, Norway, France, Germany, Australia and others, and Ukraine has fielded Black Hornets for infantry reconnaissance since Western states began supplying them after 2022.
Variants
- PD-100 / Black Hornet – original Prox Dynamics design.
- Black Hornet 3 – current production generation with improved endurance and sensors.
- Black Hornet 4 – larger, longer-range successor with a thermal imager and obstacle avoidance.
- Black Recon – vehicle-launched, boxed variant carrying multiple Black Hornet-family UAVs.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Black Hornet 3 communicate with its operator?
Over an encrypted digital datalink to a handheld controller, streaming live video and still images from its electro-optical and infrared cameras.
How big is the Black Hornet 3?
Teledyne FLIR has not published independent dimensions for Black Hornet 3; the family's original PD-100 design was about 16 × 2.5 cm and weighed 18 g.
Who makes the Black Hornet 3?
Teledyne FLIR, which acquired the original Norwegian developer, Prox Dynamics, in 2016.
Which countries use the Black Hornet?
More than 20, including the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, France, Germany, Australia and, since 2022, Ukraine.
What is the Black Hornet used for?
Giving an individual soldier covert, close-range situational awareness — looking into buildings or around corners without exposing the operator.
