An IAI Heron 1 is seen flying over Israel in early August, 2022. Source: the Israeli Defense Forces.
Late on November 9, an IAI Heron-1 drone of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) crashed in southern Israel, according to the army’s Spokesperson Unit.
The Spokesperson Unit said in a statement that the drone, also known as Shoval, crashed near the city of Arad. The crash caused a fire. However, there were no casualties. Israeli troops quickly arrived at the scene and retrieved the wreckage of the drone.
The incident is currently under investigation by a team of experts. All Shoval drones in the IDF have been grounded until the investigation is completed. The findings of the investigation will be presented next week.
According to an initial probe, details of which were released by the IDF on November 10, an engine malfunction was likely the cause of the crash.
The drone crash site near the southern Israeli city of Arad. Via Twitter.
The Shoval is a medium altitude long endurance drone that can operate of up to 52 hours at a maximum altitude of 10.5 kilometers.
In its most basic configuration, the drone is equipped with a satellite data-link and an optical surveillance system. It can be fitted with several other electronic and signal intelligence gathering systems, or even a maritime radar. The drone can be also armed to conduct combat missions.
The Shoval has seen several crashes due to various malfunctions, most recently on September 9, when one crashed along Israel’s maritime border with Lebanon. The wreckage was retrieved by the Israeli Navy. The IDF briefly grounded the fleet following that crash.
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