Under the contract, Black Hornet 4 systems will be integrated with the Piranha vehicle’s digital infrastructure to share live video, target data, coordinates, and situational awareness across onboard displays. The integration will be carried out using harmonized military standards through the vehicle’s Integrated Combat Solution supplied by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.
Operators will be able to connect the Black Hornet control tablet to the vehicle system for both dismounted and mobile operations, launching the drone by hand from the vehicle while sharing data with the crew in real time. The drone can receive waypoints from the vehicle system, generate target points for the remote weapon station, and remain fully detachable so troops can dismount and reattach during flight.
“This first fielded-vehicle integration for the Black Hornet 4 highlights its unique tactical capabilities as a force multiplier,” said Dr. JihFen Lei, president of Teledyne FLIR Defense and senior vice president of Teledyne Technologies. “By providing the same immediate situational data to all vehicle systems and crew, we can help reduce cognitive burden and boost warfighting effectiveness.”
“The armasuisse program shows the market potential for UAS integration on armored vehicles globally and the promise of ‘drone-in-a-box’ systems FLIR Defense has developed specifically for vehicles, including our Black Recon and SkyCarrier solutions,” Lei added. Black Hornet 4, weighing 70 grams, provides day and night covert reconnaissance with a 12-megapixel camera and thermal imager, can fly for more than 30 minutes over three kilometers, and operates in contested environments.
The vehicle-integrated Black Hornet 4 systems were delivered in 2025, with remaining deliveries scheduled for 2026. Teledyne FLIR Defense has delivered more than 35,000 Black Hornet drones to military and security forces in over 45 countries, with the system designed and built in Norway.
