The first flight of the Orbiter 4 unmanned air vehicle developed by the Israeli manufacturer Aeronautics Defense Systems has been scheduled for late October.

based on the design of its previous Orbiter 3, the new type should become fully operational in early 2017, the company says.

According to Aeronautics, the Orbiter 4 will have an operating endurance of more than 24h and will be able to carry dual payloads that can be used simultaneously.

Maximum take-off weight is 50kg (110lb), with the type to be operated at altitudes up to 18,000ft. Aeronautics says line-of-sight operations will be possible up to a range of 135nm (250km).