FORCETALLY
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BDrones & UAVs
Falco and Falco EVO : Unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle Astore : Tactical unmanned combat aerial vehicle
Measured figures
Configuration
| Specification | ATE Vulture | Selex ES Falco |
|---|---|---|
| Role | South African unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)[source] | — |
| National origin | South Africa[source] | Italy[source] |
| Source manufacturer statement | The ATE Vulture is a South African unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed and built by Advanced Technologies and Engineering (now Paramount Advanced Technologies, a division of the Paramount Group ).[source]Only the subject, component or variant named in this passage; unresolved names do not create a manufacturer identity | — |
| Source measurement | The ATE Vulture is a South African unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed and built by Advanced Technologies and Engineering (now Paramount Advanced Technologies, a division of the Paramount Group ). It is powered by a 500 cc 2-stroke fuel injected engine. Its payload is a gyro stabilised optronic sight communicating on a secure C-Band data/video link. Its cruise speed is 120 km/h and its flight duration allows a loiter time of about 4 hours at 60 km from the launch site with a maximum ceiling of 5,000 m. It is fully automated in launch, flight and recovery, with an automatic return-to-base in case of mission critical failures. An automated vacuum type catapult launcher is mounted on a Samil 100 truck. No external pilot is required, and the transition from launch mode into pre-programmed flight mode is automatic. It is used by the South African Army artillery for target acquisition and fire control . |
Wingspan
Single source12.5 m[source]
Maximum take-off; Max takeoff weight
Single source650 kg[source]
Falco EVO Astore : >
Single sourceService ceiling
Single sourceFalco EVO: 6,000 m Astore : >7,000 m[source]
Astore: >
Single sourceEndurance
Single sourceFalco EVO: > to >
Single sourceFalco EVO: >20 hr to >24 hr Astore: >16 hr[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
| — |
| Country of origin | South Africa[source]Inventory Origin column; table 24, row 2, cell 2; revision 1376173699; retrieved 2026-10-01 | — |
|---|
| Type | — | Falco and Falco EVO : Unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle Astore : Tactical unmanned combat aerial vehicle[source] |
|---|
| Manufacturer | — | Selex ES Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (since 2008) Leonardo Leonardo-Finmeccanica (since 2016)[source] |
|---|
| Designer | — | Galileo Avionica[source] |
|---|
| Primary user | — | Pakistan Air Force Royal Saudi Air Force Bangladesh Air Force[source] |
|---|
| Number built | — | ~50 production aircraft[source] |
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| Introduction date | — | Falco : 2009[source] |
|---|
| First flight | — | Falco : December 2003 Falco EVO : 2012[source] |
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| Capacity | — | 100 kg (331 lb)[source] |
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| Powerplant | — | 1 × Heavy fuel engine[source] |
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| Hardpoints | — | 2 × under-wing hardpoints for total 2 Roketsan Cirit missiles (Astore)[source] |
|---|
| Communications | — | Jamming-resistant data-link, real time data transmission, range >200 km[source] |
|---|
| Falco EVO | — | 6,000 m[source] |
|---|
| Astore | — | >7,000 m[source] |
|---|
| Avionics | — | Communications: Jamming-resistant data-link, real time data transmission, range >200 km Mission payloads: High resolution cameras: thermal imaging , hyperspectral imaging , colour TV, EO Radars: Synthetic aperture radar , maritime surveillance radar Targeting: Laser designator Others: Electronic support measures equipment, NBC sensors, self-protection equipment ( chaff / flare dispensers)[source] |
|---|
| Mission payloads | — | High resolution cameras: thermal imaging , hyperspectral imaging , colour TV, EO Radars: Synthetic aperture radar , maritime surveillance radar Targeting: Laser designator Others: Electronic support measures equipment, NBC sensors, self-protection equipment ( chaff / flare dispensers)[source] |
|---|
| High resolution cameras | — | thermal imaging , hyperspectral imaging , colour TV, EO[source] |
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| Radars | — | Synthetic aperture radar , maritime surveillance radar[source] |
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| Targeting | — | Laser designator[source] |
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| Others | — | Electronic support measures equipment, NBC sensors, self-protection equipment ( chaff / flare dispensers)[source] |
|---|