Elbit Systems' StarLiner medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has received type certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), approving the aircraft to fly in civil airspace. The 17-m-span (55.8-ft.), 1,600-kg-gross-weight (3,530-lb.) StarLiner is a derivative of the Hermes 900 military UAS adapted to be capable of operating in civilian airspace, and the approval follows a six-year certification process that included extensive ground and flight tests, Elbit says. Changes to the UAS to enable civil certification include redundant avionics, sensors and satellite data links, integration of a terrain-awareness warning system, automatic takeoff-and-landing capability in reduced visibility as well as adverse-weather capability and lightning-strike protection.
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