Intro
The Black Hornet 4 PRS (Personal Reconnaissance System) is a nano-class vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system designed by Teledyne FLIR Defense to provide immediate, covert situational awareness to dismounted soldiers and small tactical units. Weighing only around 70 grams, the platform is optimized for rapid deployment, minimal operator burden, and extremely low visual and acoustic signature. Its primary objective is to allow users to safely observe beyond line-of-sight, around corners, inside structures, or over terrain obstacles without exposing personnel to risk.
From a sensing perspective, the Black Hornet 4 integrates a dual-sensor payload combining an electro-optical (EO) camera and a thermal imager. The EO system supports 1280 × 720 pixel video streaming and high-resolution still imagery up to 3024 × 4032 pixels, enabling detailed visual identification and post-mission analysis. The thermal imaging system provides 512 × 640 pixel video and snapshot resolution, allowing reliable detection of heat signatures in complete darkness, smoke, or visually obscured environments. This sensor combination ensures continuous day-and-night reconnaissance capability within a single ultra-compact airframe.
Navigation and flight control are designed for highly contested and constrained environments. The Black Hornet 4 supports seamless GNSS/GPS-denied navigation, allowing it to operate indoors, underground, or in electronically degraded areas. Integrated collision avoidance using onboard sensing enables safe maneuvering in close quarters such as urban interiors, alleyways, and dense vegetation. The system also supports embedded digital terrain representations, including vector and raster maps (optional upgrade), enhancing situational context and operator awareness during missions.
Mission data handling and interoperability are key design priorities of the PRS architecture. All video streams, snapshots, and metadata are encrypted using AES-256, ensuring secure handling of sensitive intelligence. Mission data is stored on a removable, encrypted 256 GB SD card, allowing rapid offload and secure dissemination after flight. The system is compliant with STANAG 4609 for full-motion video and metadata, supports Cursor-on-Target (CoT) messaging, and is RAS-A / MAVLINK compliant, enabling integration with NATO and allied command-and-control ecosystems. It is also ATAK-compatible and can be integrated with selected Battle Management Systems (BMS), making the Black Hornet 4 a fully networked sensor within modern digital battlefield architectures.
Overall, the Black Hornet 4 PRS represents a mature, combat-driven nano-UAS that prioritizes stealth, data security, interoperability, and reliability. Its combination of high-resolution EO/thermal sensing, GNSS-denied navigation, encrypted mission data, and seamless integration into tactical networks makes it one of the most advanced personal reconnaissance drones currently fielded by military and security forces worldwide.