“But they have very large payloads that are too heavy [for the UAVs], G says. “We use smaller, but more advanced cameras so the performance is not too bad. Depending on the areas we are working, the manned aircraft may have to stand off at long range.”

A favorite surveillance method is to use a wide field-of-view staring mode. When it detects a launch, the sensor is zoomed in very fast to find the source and track whomever may be fleeing the site. The 12-figure location is transferred to other aircraft to perform the attack.

“It is not stealthy, but it is silent and very discreet. The Heron 1 can stay in the air for 30 hours or more depending on the payload and configuration of the UAV.”