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

Assembly

Factory-built

Control

Autonomous

Engine type

Rotary

Application

Surveillance

Design & construction

The aircraft as engineered: what it is built from, the systems it flies with, and its configuration — each box a theme.

Airframe & structure

Primary structure

Composite

Wing

Composite

Landing gear

Fixed tricycle

Ice protection

None

Pressurisation

Unpressurised

Systems & avionics

Flight controls

Full FBW digital

Autopilot

3-axis

Avionics architecture

Integrated glass suite

Configuration & certification

Wing position

High

Planform

Straight

continued

Tail

Conventional

Certification

Military

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

The program’s dated history — milestones, contracts, supplier selections and facilities, each linked to its source. Log in to view.

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