The HAI E1-79 "Pegasus" is an Unmanned Air System (UAS) of Greek origin, developed and produced under the parent brand label of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI). The aircraft is reserved for the Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR) over-battlefield role and has seen only limited production reached since service entry. Development on the Pegasus was handled jointly between KETA (the Hellenic Air Force Research & Development Center) and HAI and began in 1979 though a first-flight in prototype form was not had until 1982. From this, the product would have to wait a considerable amount to time to see formal service introduction - this occurring in 1992.
The Pegasus is conventional by UAS standards, incorporating a twin-boom, pusher-prop arrangement along with a slab-sided fuselage and high-mounted wings. The twin booms emanate from the trailing edge of each mainplane and are capped at the rear by vertical tailplanes and joined together by a shared horizontal plane. The undercarriage is of a tricycle arrangement and wheeled while remaining fixed in place during flight. Over the fuselage is a protruding component seating a disc-shaped fitting. A trainable turret is seen under the fuselage housing sensors and camera equipment.
Dimensions include a running length of 6.9 feet with a wingspan of 16.4 feet, making it relatively compact. With its conventional powerplant scheme (propeller driven in pusher arrangement), the UAS can reach speeds of 100 miles-per-hour. On internal fuel, the aircraft has an endurance of 3.5 hours.
The "Pegasus II" is a dimensionally larger, heavier, and more advanced evolution of the original Pegasus platform with enhanced mission capabilities. This entry first appeared in 2005 and has seen equally-limited production totals to date (2020). Length is increased to 14.1 feet while the wingspan reaches 20.34 feet while being able to stay aloft for some 15 hours straight. It continues with the ISR function as its primary role.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
✓Unmanned Capability
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.
Length
14.1 ft (4.30 m)
Width/Span
20.3 ft (6.20 m)
Empty Wgt
441 lb (200 kg)
MTOW
551 lb (250 kg)
Wgt Diff
+110 lb (+50 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the HAI Pegasus Mk II production variant)
Installed:
1 x Conventional engine at rear of fuselage driving two-bladed propeller unit in pusher arrangement.
None. Mission equipment limited to sensors / cameras for the ISR role.
E1-79 "Pegasus" - Base Series Designation.
Pegasus II - Variant of greater dimensions and increased operating weights; improved operating performance.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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