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IAI Searcher

IAI Search History

Israelis recognized the value of drones in warfare long before most and developed a very mature industry to meet a variety of needs. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has made a significant contribution to this area, adding in 1992 the "Seeker" - a reconnaissance-oriented UAV for reconnaissance and surveillance missions in friendly and hostile airspace . This type is a conventional powertrain with a conventional design, managing the payload of the equipment.

The series spawned the original Searcher 1 in 1992, followed by Searcher 2 in 1998. The search engine was sold to a handful of allies in Asia.

The Searcher 2 has a payload capacity of 150 pounds, including the tracking system, sensors and camera equipment. With a combined weight of 1,100 pounds, it can be handled by a handful of ground crews. The fuselage has a barrel length of 19 feet 2 inches and a wingspan of 28 feet.

Height is listed as 4 feet. The overall design includes a fuselage nacelle spanned amidships by a pair of high-mounted straight wing assemblies. Two thin tubular struts extend from the trailing edge of the wing and connect to a horizontal array on which is a pair of vertical tail fins. The nose is well angled for better aerodynamic efficiency.

The drone is powered by a 47-horsepower Limbach L550 series engine that drives a three-blade propeller assembly in a "slider" configuration mounted to the rear of the fuselage. Performance specs include a top speed of 125 mph, an operational service ceiling of 20,000 feet, and an 18-hour mission duration.

The landing gear is fixed and consists of a single-wheel front leg and a pair of single-wheel main legs.

The Searcher series is used by the armed forces of Israel, India, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Turkey. They appear in standard light sky gray uniforms and desert-ready camouflage schemes.