German military aviation authority certifies Heron TP UAS
A German Heron TP in flight. (Photo: IAI)
The Heron TP is a strategic variant of IAI’s Heron family UAS, which includes the extensively used Heron 1.
The German Heron TP has been awarded a Type Certificate by the German Military Aviation Authority (GMAA).
The certification makes it the first UAV in service with the German Armed Forces to comply with an internationally agreed airworthiness code fully.
The Type Certificate confirms the UAV’s compliance with the STANAG 4671 military airworthiness standard.
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The German Heron TP is a German-Israeli project contracted to Airbus and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for modification, production, and operation by the German Air Force.
IAI president and CEO Boaz Levy said the certificate award paved the way for Germany to operate the UAV worldwide.
IAI said the Type Certificate resulted from ‘years of intensive type certification effort’ by the prime contractor Airbus DS Airborne Solutions and IAI as the OEM.
Work included adaptations to multiple systems to meet compliance standards, the compilation and review of documents and tests.
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