Teledyne Flir Defense will produce 1,000 Black Hornet drones for the Norway Ministry of Defense to be donated to Ukrainian forces.
Teledyne Flir, a subsidiary of Teledyne Technologies Inc., the Thousand Oaks aerospace, marine and digital imaging products manufacturer, will also provide spare parts, maintenance and training for Ukrainian operators and instructors.
The Black Hornet 3 drones are designed and built by Teledyne Flir, in Norway. The pocket-sized drone measures less than 7 inches long and weighs just 33 grams. The Black Hornet is nearly silent, capable of flying for 25 minutes and transmitting live visible and thermal video to the operator.
JihFen Lei, executive vice president and general manager of Teledyne FLIR Defense, in Wilsonville, Oregon, said the company was pleased to support Norway’s efforts to assist forces in Ukraine, which has been at war with neighboring Russia since February of last year.
“The Black Hornet has proven to be game-changing technology that can help soldiers perform missions more safely and effectively,” Lei said in a statement.
Black Hornet reconnaissance drones are currently being used by Ukrainian forces through donations made last summer by the Norwegian and British governments. They have performed successfully in numerous operations under the harshest of environments, Teledyne Flir said.
Last August, Norway donated nearly 300 Black Hornet systems to Ukraine forces through the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine, the company added.
Shares in Teledyne closed up $3.14, or nearly 0.8%, to $414.67 on the New York Stock Exchange on a day when the Dow Jones closed up a fraction of a percent.