Black Hornet® 4
Teledyne Flir · United States · also known as Black Hornet 4 PRS, Black Hornet PRS G3 · Updated
Black Hornet 4 is a personal reconnaissance nano-UAV made by Teledyne FLIR of the United States, the newest generation of the Black Hornet family that gives an individual dismounted soldier immediate, covert situational awareness without needing a dedicated UAV operator or specialist training.
Overview
The Black Hornet line began with the PD-100, developed by the Norwegian company Prox Dynamics and acquired by FLIR Systems in 2016; FLIR itself became Teledyne FLIR after Teledyne's 2021 acquisition. Black Hornet 4, marketed as the Black Hornet 4 PRS (Personal Reconnaissance System), succeeds Black Hornet 3 with a redesigned airframe, a combined thermal-and-electro-optical sensor package, and flight-control improvements aimed at making the aircraft usable by non-specialist troops with minimal training.
Design and capabilities
Black Hornet 4 is a coaxial-rotor micro-helicopter weighing about 70 g on its own, with a complete carrying system weighing around 1.3 kg — light enough for a soldier to carry on a utility belt. It offers more than 30 minutes of flight time and a range beyond 3 km, cruising at ground speeds of up to about 36 km/h (10 m/s). The aircraft carries a high-resolution thermal imager alongside an electro-optical camera with enhanced low-light performance, and adds obstacle-avoidance sensors and an improved battery over Black Hornet 3. It is built to MIL-STD-810H environmental standards and is rated to fly in winds up to 25 knots plus gusts.
Operational history
As a recent product, Black Hornet 4 has limited public operational history to date; Teledyne FLIR markets it for squad-level covert reconnaissance — detecting and identifying threats day or night while keeping the operator concealed — as a direct successor to the combat-proven Black Hornet 3, which has been used by more than 20 armed forces.
Variants
- Black Hornet 3 – previous production generation.
- Black Hornet 4 PRS – current generation, this entry, with thermal imaging and obstacle avoidance.
- Black Recon – vehicle-launched, boxed variant carrying multiple Black Hornet-family UAVs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Black Hornet 4?
More than 3 km, with over 30 minutes of flight time per battery.
How much does the Black Hornet 4 weigh?
About 70 g for the aircraft itself; the complete carry system weighs around 1.3 kg.
What sensors does the Black Hornet 4 carry?
A high-resolution thermal imager and an electro-optical camera with enhanced low-light performance, plus obstacle-avoidance sensors.
How windy can it fly in?
Teledyne FLIR rates the Black Hornet 4 for winds up to 25 knots plus gusts, built to MIL-STD-810H environmental standards.
Who makes the Black Hornet 4?
Teledyne FLIR, successor to the Norwegian company Prox Dynamics, which developed the original Black Hornet.
