IAI Panther

Israel (2011)

The IAI Panther is a unique tilt-rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle drone offering.

Detailing the development and operational history of the IAI Panther Tilt-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Entry last updated on 4/18/2016. Authored by Staff Writer. Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com

Israel Aerospace Industries has added its "Panther" to its deep mix of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - better known as "drones" in plain-speak. The Panther is rather unique, however, in its overall field capabilities for it has been designed from the outset as a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) vehicle utilizing a tilt-rotor concept similar in scope and function to the manned, large-scale American V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor transport. As such, the Panther does not require runway distance to take-off or land and increases its tactical value to forces operating in confined spaces. Production of the IAI Panther is handled by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), primary recognized for its Kfir series of multirole manned aircraft and Pioneer and Heron UAVs. The Panther was first showcased to the public in October of 2010 and is believed to have been introduced into formal operational service sometime in 2011.

The drone has completely upset the balance of modern warfare, allowing use of unmanned aircraft to accomplish various battlefield roles without risk to the pilot. These roles include reconnaissance, surveillance, artillery spotting, tracking and engagement. Some are wholly autonomous, requiring no human input, while others are controlled via stations 1,000s of miles away or through line-of-sight means. In the Panther product, the UAV is controlled by two personnel through the provided control station. This allows the Panther to operate 37 miles out within its combat radius. The system generally operates up to 10,000 feet of altitude and holds a loiter endurance of about six hours. Only the take-off and landing process is handled autonomously. At this point, the Panther remains an unarmed vehicle and is used primarily for its tracking facilities. As such, its payload is generally made up of sensors, cameras, a laser designator and a laser rangefinder. Overall, the Panther system weighs a manageable 140lbs.

Externally, the Panther is of a fixed-wing design utilizing wide-spanning main wing appendages. These wings are mounted low along the streamlined, tubular fuselage with pointed nose. Booms extend aft from each wing trailing edge and mount vertical fins at the rear. These fins are then joined by a single horizontal plane acting as the aircraft's stabilizer. The undercarriage is wheeled and retractable, consisting of two main legs and a nose leg. Power is served through three electric motors, two seated near each wing root and the third at eh rear of the fuselage. All three hold are positional systems raising up for vertical flight and lowering for horizontal travel. When lowered, the wing-mounted systems act in the puller arrangement while the fuselage-mounted installation is utilized in the pusher arrangement. The positioning of all engines is handled automatically by the onboard system.

Beyond the base, full-scale Panther is the Mini-Panther, a more compact offering intended for increased portability and lower procurement/maintenance costs. Appropriately, the capabilities of this machine are lessened to an extent including a less than two hour loitering window and limited payload capacities. However, the control station is highly portable and can be transported across two packs on foot.

Any available statistics for the IAI Panther Tilt-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) are showcased in the areas immediately below. Categories include basic specifications covering country-of-origin, operational status, manufacture(s) and total quantitative production. Other qualities showcased are related to structural values (namely dimensions), installed power and standard day performance figures, installed or proposed armament and mission equipment (if any), global users (from A-to-Z) and series model variants (if any).

Our Data Modules allow for quick visual reference when comparing a single entry against contemporary designs. Areas covered include general ratings, speed assessments, and relative ranges based on distances between major cities.

Image of collection of graph types

City-to-City Ranges

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Graph showcases the IAI Panther's operational range (on internal fuel) when compared to distances between major cities.

Aviation Era

Useful in showcasing the era cross-over of particular aircraft/aerospace designs.

Unit Production Comparison

Comm. Market HI*: 44,000 units

Military Market HI**: 36,183 units

* Commercial Market High belongs to Cessna 172.

** Military Market High belongs to Ilyushin Il-2.

Altitude Visualization

Compare this entry against other aircraft using our Comparison Tool

Supported Mission Types:

Anti-Ship

Airborne Early Warning

VIP Travel

Origin: Israel

Year: 2011

Type: Tilt-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Manufacturer(s): Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) - Israel

Production: 25

Global Operators:
Israel

Historical Commitments / Honors:

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur

* Ribbons not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns/operations.

Structural - Crew, Dimensions, and Weights:
Unless otherwise noted the presented statistics below pertain to the IAI Panther model. Common measurements, and their respective conversions, are shown when possible.

Operational
CREW

Personnel
2

Weight
LOADED

Pounds
143 lb

Kilograms
65 kg

Installed Power - Standard Day Performance:
3 x Tilt-rotor electric engines.

Performance
RANGE

Miles
75 mi

Kilometers
120 km

Nautical Miles
65 nm

Performance
CEILING

Feet
9,843 ft

Meters
3,000 m

Miles
1.86 mi

Armament - Hardpoints (0):

None. Outfitted with sensor equipment, laser designator, laser rangefinder and camera.

Variants: Series Model Variants
• Panther - Base Series Designation
• Mini-Panther - Compact version with two-hour loiter time and portable control station.