Israeli firm unveils armed, unmanned helicopter

Israeli aviation firm Steadicopter has unveiled an armed, unmanned rotorcraft with precision strike capabilities.

The Golden Eagle unmanned copter features AI-based technology for “superior situational awareness and autonomous multi-target classification and tracking,” the company said in a statement.

The copter is equipped with a remotely-operated robotic weaponry payload called SMASH Dragon that integrates “a unique stabilization concept with proprietary target acquisition, tracking algorithms and sophisticated computer vision capabilities” to lock onto, track, and strike targets with precision.

Smart Shooter 

The Smart Shooter AI uses data processing to differentiate between targets such as humans or vehicles, mobile or stationary “and whether they have previously been present in the field.”

The system employs a range of weapons including “assault rifles, sniper rifles, and 40mm.”

The Golden Eagle is based on the company’s Black Eagle 50E electric-powered unmanned platform that can take off and land from small spaces carrying a payload of up to 5 kilograms (11 pounds).