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Skylark-I launch
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Elbit’s Skylark-I mini-UAV has become a popular choice, as nations like Israel, Australia, Canada, France, Singapore, et. al. adopt it for battlefield use. Bental’s electric propulsion system using brushless permanent magnetic motors is an especial benefit to Skylark operators, as its silent operation avoids warning enemy targets of its presence.

In an effort to build on that success, Elbit soon introduced the larger Skylark-II for battalion level UAV operations, fired from a rail launcher mounted on small wheeled vehicles rather than launched by hand. In exchange for the launcher requirement and a doubling of the crew size to 2, the Skylark-II gains a mission radius of 50-60 km instead of 10 km, and the ability to mount larger sensor packages. Awards soon followed from sources as varied as Popular Science and industry analysts Frost & Sullivan – but awards don’t pay the bills.

December 2007 featured Elbit’s first Skylark-II customer, followed by a French order for Skylark Is, a 3rd Australian order for the mini-UAV, and a South American contract…

The UAVs

Skylark-II launch
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Skylark I comes in 2 versions. The standard Skylark I is launched by hand, and flies below 1,000 feet for up to 1.5 hours, with a mission range of 10 km/ 6 miles. It competes in the mini-UAV market, alongside models like Aerovironment’s popular RQ-11B Raven.

The new Skylark I-LE (long endurance) increases flight time from 1.5 hours to 3 hours, with a mission range “greater than 15 km.” It carries the same payloads et. al. as Skylark I.

The Skylark II must use a rail launcher, which is usually towed by a small wheeled vehicle, and requires 2 crew to operate. It can flyat medium altitudes, with a flight time of around 6 hours, a mission radius of 50-60 km, and the ability to mount larger sensor packages. The standard mission package is a Micro-CoMPASS turret with a day sensor, cooled infared night sensor, laser illuminator and tracker; plus an advanced digital communication system from Tadiran Spectralink.

Skylark II competes in the lower tier of the conventional UAV market, alongside models like Textron AAI’s RQ-7 Shadow, IAI’s I-View 250, et. al.

There is also a Skylark II-LE, which is likely to become the standard Skylark II offering. It moves the engine to the rear, alters the fuselage, and adds a new tail configuration. The endurance has more than doubled to over 15 hours and, with a new datalink it can operate out to 150 km. This will give it the ability to compete with popular offerings like Boeing’s ScanEagle.

Contracts & Key Events

Skylark-I, ADF in Iraq
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Sept 1/08: Elbit Systems Ltd. announces [PDF] a contract to supply Hermes 450 and Skylark 1 UAV systems to “a country in the Americas” for the total of approximately $25 million. All UAVs are to be delivered within a year.

New information points to Mexico as the customer, with 2 complete Hermes 450 systems and a complete Skylark system.

Aug 3/08: Australia places its 3rd Skylark I mini-UAV order, valued at “several million dollars.” Elbit informs DID that these are standard Skylark Is, not the Skylark I-LE model. Elbit Systems release [PDF].

June 18/08: UV-Online reports that Elbit has made significant changes to its line of Skylark UAVs:

“Meanwhile the work on the company’s Skylark UAVs has vastly improved the performance of both the Skylark I and II. The company has changed some of the elements of the airframe structure, integrated a new battery and looked at power management. According to officials the new Skylark I-Long Endurance (LE) and Skylark-II LE can now stay aloft a lot longer.

The Skylark I-LE has doubled its endurance from 90 minutes to three hours with a mission range greater than 15km. The Skylark II-LE is almost completely a new system in its outward image with a much changed aerostructure. The engine has bee moved to the rear, the fuselage has been altered and there is also a new tail configuration. The endurance has more than doubled to over 15 hours and with a new datalink it can operate out to 150km.”

March 24/08: Elbit Systems Ltd. announces [PDF format] that it has won “a tender involving 10 of the leading UAV manufacturers worldwide,” and will supply Skylark I UAV systems to France’s Special Forces. This contract marks Elbit Systems’ first UAV contract with France.

Micro-CoMPASS
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Dec 17/07: Elbit System announces that the Skylark-II has been selected by the South Korean military as their “preferred solution” in ” a tender involving extensive technical tests and including UAV manufacturers from all over the world.” The first phase of the contract includes one comprehensive Skylark® II system. Additional systems are expected in the future.

The UAVs will be equipped with their standard-issue payload: Elbit subsidiary Elop’s advanced 8” Micro-CoMPASS turret with a day sensor, cooled night sensor, laser illuminator and tracker; and an advanced digital communication system from Tadiran Spectralink, which is about to be wholly merged [PDF] into Elbit Systems. Elbit release.

June 17/07: Elbit Systems Ltd. announces that business research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan has presented them with a “Best Innovative Product Award” for 2007 in the Aviation & Defense Category, for their Skylark-II. It is praised for bringing the capabilities of more expensive UAVs to a smaller and cheaper vehicle. Philadelphia Examiner | Israel Times.

Nov 19/06: Israel’s Globes business daily relays a Flight International report re: Canadian experiences with the Skylark I in Afghanistan:

“The British weekly quotes a technical director in the Canadian Army interim small UAV programme, Captain Rob Sanders as saying, “Most of them aren’t flying in Afghanistan. For some reason, in some parts of the country it will fly great, or today it will fly. The same one, at a separate time tonight, won’t fly. So they have grounded them all trying to figure out what is going on. We are sending a couple of specialists over there to sort that out.”

Nov 8/06: Elbit Systems Ltd. announces [PDF | HTML via Shepherd] that its Skylark II UAV has received a “2006 Best of What’s New” Award from Popular Science Magazine in the Aviation and Space category. As Popular Science notes:

“Each year, the editors of Popular Science review thousands of new products in search of the top 100 tech innovations of the year; breakthrough products and technologies that represent a significant leap in their categories. The winners – the Best of What’s New – are awarded inclusion in the much-anticipated December issue of Popular Science, the most widely read issue of the year since the debut of Best of What’s New in 1987. Best of What’s New awards are presented to 100 new products and technologies in 10 categories: Automotive, Aviation & Space, Computing, Engineering, Gadgets, General Innovation, Home Entertainment, Home Tech, Personal Health and Recreation.”

Oct 3/06: Canada joins Australia in choosing Elbit’s Skylark. The UAV was first ordered on a temporary basis, as part of the $200 million set of emergency purchases for Operation Archer in November 2005. It was picked more formally as Canada’s future mini-UAV in October 2006, following a competition that reportedly included IAI’s I-View 50 with its unique parafoil landing system, and Boeing’s larger ScanEagle UAV . Thales Canada will act as the prime contractor.

June 13/06: Elbit Systems formally introduces the Skylark II “close range class tactical UAV system.” Release.

Nov 3/05: Australia chose Elbit’s Skylark as its mini-UAV, to complement Israel Aerospace Industries’ larger I-View 250 and some Boeing ScanEagles used at battalion and brigade levels.

Additional Readings

• Elbit Systems – Skylark I

• Defense Update – Skylark I Miniature Aerial vehicle

• Israeli Weapons – Skylark 1

• Elbit Systems – Skylark II

• Elbit Systems El-op – Micro-CoMPASS [PDF]

• Aviation Week Defense Technology International (March 8/08) – Mini-UAVs Rack Up Big Gains

• Aviation Week & Space Technology (Aug 7/02, via AeroVironment) – War on Terrorism Boosts Deployment of Mini-UAVs