Orbit Communications Systems, a provider of airborne communications solutions, has announced that Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has placed a $US1.8 million order for Orbit’s Orion airborne audio management systems for integration aboard its next-generation medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) Heron TP unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Orbit’s Orion enables essential communications between the UAV and civil Air Traffic Control (ATC) and other ground stations.
Orion is an innovative airborne audio management system, featuring 3D Audio, Adaptive Noise Reduction and Voice-Activated Detection as standard features. A patented Dual IP Ring topology provides unsurpassed system redundancy, and the modular design permits reduced weight, incremental scalability and flexibility to suit both manned and unmanned aircraft of any size.
“All large UAVs are required to communicate directly with civil airports via Air Traffic Control using their own on-board systems,” explained Aharon Huberman, Senior Program Manager in the MALAT division of IAI. “Orbit’s Orion is the most mature solution on the market, in terms of its capabilities, reliability and regulatory compliance.”
“We believe that our ability to adapt the system and deliver it under an extremely tight schedule were key considerations in MALAT’s decision to select our audio management solution,” commented Ben Weinberger, CEO of Orbit. “We are proud to provide readily integrated radio gateway solutions to help simplify IAI’s development and operation on a system level,” he added.
The IAI Heron TP is an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft developed by the MALAT division of Israel Aerospace Industries. The UAV is an advanced version of the IAI Heron.