What is the Hermes 900?
The Hermes 900 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance military drone made by Israel's Elbit Systems. It is a large unmanned aircraft (about 1,000 kg) built for surveillance and reconnaissance with up to roughly 30 hours of endurance, and is operated by the Israeli military and export customers.
Key facts
- Form factor
- aerial
- Maturity
- commercial
- Verified deployments
- 2
- Maker
- Elbit Systems
- weight kg
- 1000
- flight time min
- 1800
What it is
The Hermes 900 is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft built by Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense company based in Haifa and founded in 1966. It is a large, fixed-wing military drone, not a consumer quadcopter.
Key specs
Per the registry, the Hermes 900 has a maximum takeoff weight around 1,000 kg and an endurance of roughly 30 hours, letting it stay aloft far longer than small drones. It carries multiple payloads for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and Elbit describes strike-capable configurations.
Who uses it
DEPLOY records verified operational use with the Israeli military. The Hermes 900 is also widely exported; it is one of Elbit's flagship UAVs and a recognizable platform in the MALE class alongside larger systems like the MQ-9 Reaper.
For whether it flies itself, see Is the Hermes 900 autonomous?.
Frequently asked
Who makes the Hermes 900?
Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense electronics company headquartered in Haifa, founded in 1966.
What is the Hermes 900 used for?
Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, with strike-capable configurations. It is a medium-altitude, long-endurance military drone with roughly 30 hours of endurance.
How long can the Hermes 900 stay in the air?
About 30 hours, per its registry record, which is why it is classed as a long-endurance UAV.
Where it is deployed
2 verified deployments on the registry for the Hermes 900. Click any marker to open its primary-source record.
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