The drones can fit in the palm of one’s hand and are described by news website The Debrief as the “world’s smallest operational military micro-drone,” measuring about 4 inches by 1 inch from tip to tail with a rotor opening of 4 inches. and weight 16 grams. They are manufactured by Prox Dynamics of Norway, which was acquired by FLIR Systems in 2016. This Norwegian-British drone package costs NOK 90 million, or about $9.3 million, and includes drones, spare parts, transport and training equipment. It is financed by a British fund to which Norway has already contributed 400 million kroner. A total of 19 NATO allied countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, use Black Hornet microdrones, according to The Debrief. The US and UK have used them mainly during special operations missions in Afghanistan. The US is expected to award a contract within the next 30 days to provide Ukraine with 10 larger, long-range Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones, according to a Monday Defense News report citing Pentagon spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell. The drones were also part of a $775 million aid package sent to Ukraine earlier in August that included howitzers, armored vehicles, missiles, artillery shells and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Missile Systems (HIMARS) that raised total aid at the time of the US to $10.6 billion since the war began in February. Above, a Black Hornet micro-drone is launched by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (not pictured) during a meeting with military personnel on September 19, 2019, in Salisbury, England. Norway and Great Britain are sending Black Hornet micro-drones to Ukraine for spying purposes against Russian forces. Ben Stansall – WPA Pool/Getty Images Norway’s defense minister, Bjørn Arild Gram, called the micro-drones, which are used for reconnaissance and target recognition, “easy to use, robust, hard to track and particularly suitable for combat in urban areas.” Yahoo! reported that the micro-drones have a range of 1.2 miles, a top speed of 11 mph and night vision. While they have a maximum flight time of 25 minutes, The Debrief reported, the system’s two drones are housed, launched and recharged at a single ground station, so that while one is mid-flight, the other can charge on the ground and allow for military forces to surround areas for long periods of time. Military units have the option of operating the Black Hornets via remote control or via pre-programmed destinations via GPS receivers and sensors. “Norway and the UK remain determined to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine,” UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said in a statement. “These ground-breaking drones will help give Ukraine’s troops a vital advantage on the battlefield as they fight to defend their country against Putin’s brutal and unprovoked invasion.” No exact timetable was given for the delivery of the micro-drones to Ukraine.
