Role & capabilities
- Multi-sensor ISR
- Satellite communications
- Automatic takeoff and landing
- Primary domain
- Air
- System type
- Reconnaissance aircraft
- Developer / manufacturer
- Israel Aerospace Industries
- Origin / production countries
- Israel
- Other names
- Heron 1
- Variants / configurations
- Heron baseline; Heron Mk II — distinct configuration; Heron TP is a separate larger platform
- Operators / programme customers
- No complete operator list disclosed in the reviewed sources
Evidence & current status
Status and performance are attributed to the supplier. They do not establish an independently audited fleet size or effectiveness rate.
Role & programme
A long-endurance reconnaissance family built to carry different intelligence sensors. IAI describes both land and naval operating roles with international customers.
The Heron product table and narrative use different wording for altitude. The profile preserves that ambiguity. Heron Mk II and the much larger turboprop Heron TP should be compared as distinct configurations, with customer sensor and communications fits identified separately.
Sourced specifications
Figures apply to the named configuration. Maximum values are not guaranteed operating performance.
| Specification | Reported value | Context & source |
|---|---|---|
| Airframe | Fixed-wing MALE reconnaissance aircraft | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Launch / recovery | Automatic runway take-off and landing | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Propulsion | Not established from the reviewed sources. | Public data gap; no estimate substituted. Follow the source for subsequent releases. Source ↗ |
| Dimensions | 16.6 m span; 8.5 m length | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Mass | 1,270 kg maximum take-off mass | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Endurance | Up to 45 h | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Range | LOS below 250 km; BLOS above 1,000 km, per IAI table | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Speed | 60–80 KTAS loiter; 140 KTAS maximum | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Altitude | Table states above 35,000 ft; narrative says up to 35,000 ft | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Payload | Up to 470 kg | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Sensors | Multiple customer-specific intelligence sensors | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
| Communications / navigation | LOS and SATCOM/BLOS | Published supplier specification; configuration and conditions affect performance. Source ↗ |
Publication history
- — Expanded catalogue profile with sourced specifications, variant distinctions, programme evidence and explicit public data gaps.
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Follow the evidence
Source types identify who makes the claim. Programme milestones and supplier statements should be read in context.
- IAI Heron (opens in a new tab)Manufacturer / programme source