The fleet of drones, which will be equipped with a new and advanced intelligence gathering system, will carry out "safety and security missions."
By YAAKOV LAPPINSecurity drone to be used in 2014 World Cup in Brazil(photo credit: Courtesy)
Elbit’s Hermes 900 unmanned aircraft system will be deployed by the Brazilian Air Force to help secure the 2014 World Cup, the Israeli defense firm announced on Wednesday.The drone will be equipped with a new and advanced intelligence-gathering system, and will fly together with Elbit-produced Hermes 450 drones, which the Brazilian Air Force purchased in the past, to secure the games.The fleet of drones will carry out “safety and security missions,” Elbit said, adding that the Hermes 900 will be delivered to the South American country within two months.Drone to be deployed at 2014 World Cup“We are very proud to supply our Hermes 900 to FAB [the Portuguese acronym for the Brazilian Air Force], which is the eighth customer to be equipped with this leading platform,” said Elad Aharonson, general manager of Elbit Systems’ UAS Division.“We are honored to enable FAB to benefit from the advantages of joint flight operations, using both the Hermes 450 and the Hermes 900, a unique solution for intelligence missions, border protection, perimeter control of infrastructure and critical sites, as well as Safe City programs and large scale events,” he added.The Hermes 900 is a highly autonomous platform that takes off and lands automatically, and can be controlled with other drones from a single ground control station. It beams back imagery and deploys a range of communications systems.The drone, which can reach an altitude of 30,000 feet, is in service with the Israel Air Force, and can carry a heavy payload.Elbit has been active in the Brazilian security market for almost two decades, and maintains subsidiary companies in the country that service platforms for the Brazilian military.
