Elbit Hermes 450/650 Spark

In production

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Overview Supply chain (5) Downloads

Rotary engine reconnaissance UAV.

Photo: Elbit Systems

Lift type

Fixed wing

Construction

Factory-built

Control

Autonomous

Engine type

Rotary

Application

Surveillance

Design & construction

Primary structure

Composite

Wing

Composite

Landing gear

Fixed tricycle

Ice protection

None

Pressurisation

Unpressurised

Flight controls

Full FBW digital

Autopilot

3-axis

Avionics architecture

Integrated glass suite

Environmental control

None-unpressurised

Wing position

High

Planform

Straight

Tail

Conventional

Certification

Military

Composite wing (primary structure) Primary Composite fuselage (primary structure) Primary

Technical reference compiled with AI research; a value appears only where two independent research passes and a web fact-check agree. Gaps are deliberate.

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Type variants

Variant	Launch / first flight	Notes
Elbit Hermes 450	1998 / 2006	Medium-sized multi-payload UAV for long missions. 17 hours endurance.
Elbit / Thales Watchkeeper	2007 / 2008	Further developed ISTAR variant. Includes U-TacS Watchkeeper-X (WK–X) for British Army.
Elbit Hermes 650 Spark	2024 / 2023	24h endurance. LOS of 300km. Successor to the Hermes 450.

Airframer

Elbit Systems UAS	News
UAV Tactical Systems Ltd (U-TacS)	News	U-TacS Watchkeeper

Other aircraft programs: Elbit Hermes 45 · Elbit Hermes 90 · Elbit Hermes 900 · Elbit Skylark Series ·

Find other programs with these properties in the aircraft programs directory.

Program milestones 9 dated events

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Information on this page is compiled from a variety of published sources; links do not necessarily imply recommendation or confirmation by the airframe manufacturer.