A particular type of multirotor drone has become the signature of Israel’s surgical strikes in enemy territories since August, 2019. In the latest incident of January 28, 2023, four bomb-laden Israeli quadcopters (most probably Rotem L) hit a weapons factory (Tohid ammunition factory) resulting in explosions in the center of the city of Isfahan in Iran.
Let’s examine Israeli quadcopters closely.
What is a quadcopter?
A quadcopter is a type of drone with four arms. Each arm has a rotor (therefore ‘quadcopter’) that helps the drone fly. The rotors spin in opposite directions, allowing the drone to fly and turn. These drones generally have a short flight range.
Varieties of Israeli quadcopters
IAI Rotem L
Israeli Aerospace Industry (IAI) has developed the quadcopter Rotem L as a tactical-level, expendable loitering munition for urban fighting. It uses advanced obstacle avoidance technology for urban operations.
It is integrated with a range of IAI sensors and/or effector including assault warheads, Pitbull standoff fire, counter IED, door breacher and target acquisition.
This easy-to-operate drone is operated by a single operator.
Its operation range is up to 10 km and operational altitude 1000ft.
Lanius
Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense technology company, introduced quadcopter Lanius in late 2022 which is designed for short-range operation in the urban environment.
It has a range of AI-powered scouting, mapping and target classification abilities, with the added ability to explode on command. A range of sensors and cameras, including an Nvidia Jetson AI system-on-module, is fitted with the drone to help interpret fast-flowing data streams, allowing it to autonomously map out and search areas.
According to the manufacturer Elbit, this cheap and easy-to-operate drone has a maximum takeoff weight of 1.25 kg, including a lethal or non-lethal payload of up to 150 g.
It can detect humans and classify them as friendly or hostile, combatant or non-combatant, armed or unarmed.
The Israeli quadcopter is capable of travelling in groups of three, each one sitting on top of a larger mothership-style drone until they are deployed.
The Lanius offers a new tactical advantage for military and security operations, providing the ability to map out dangerous areas, search buildings, and detect and engage armed threats.
Previous Israeli quadcopter attacks
In August 2019, Israel sent a tiny armed quadcopter to destroy machinery that Israeli officials termed vital to the production of precision missiles in a Hezbollah-dominated neighborhood in Beirut.
In 2020, six quadcopters exploded at Iran’s main manufacturing and storage plant for military drones in Kermanshah.
On June 23, 2021, quadcopters hit Iran’s main manufacturing center for centrifuges, Iran Centrifuge Technology Company, or TESA , located in Karaj on the outskirts of Tehran.
In May 2022, Israel launched a drone attack on a highly sensitive military site outside Tehran.
