South African company Milkor is creating a reconnaissance drone that will be able to fly for 35 hours at 150km/h

South African company Milkor is developing a MALE-class drone that will be able to fly for more than a day without landing. It is called Milkor 380.

Here's What We Know

The drone made its first flight in the middle of last month. As part of the tests, the Milkor 380 was equipped with electro-optical/infrared sensors and transmitted video to a ground control station. During the flight, the drone used GPS for navigation.

The Milkor 380 weighs 1,300kg and can fly for 30 hours without landing. The company intends to increase the flight time to 35 hours in the future. The operating altitude is approximately 9150 metres. The propulsion system is represented by a single 4 litre Rotax 915 iS engine.

The South African company believes that the Milkor 380 will be able to accelerate up to 250 kilometres per hour. At the same time, the drone will have a cruising speed of 150 kilometres per hour.

The manufacturer began testing the Milkor 380 in February 2023. The tests will continue until the end of the first quarter of 2024. The company has five drones in production. They will be handed over to unnamed international customers next year.

Source: Janes