Teledyne FLIR Defense announced the market launch of Black Recon, an autonomous micro-drone system designed for military vehicles and fixed installations. The announcement was made at the Eurosatory defense exhibition.

The system allows crews to launch, operate, recover, and recharge up to three unmanned aerial systems without leaving their platform. Black Recon weighs less than 450 grams per drone and provides flight times of 50 to 60 minutes with speeds up to 25 meters per second.

Key capabilities include autonomous launch and recovery, three-drone rotation for continuous surveillance, thermal and visible light cameras, and operation in GPS-denied environments through visual navigation systems. The drones can conduct radio-silent missions and feature onboard relay capability for extended range.

"Black Recon represents a major step forward in integrated reconnaissance for ground forces," said Dr. JihFen Lei, President of Teledyne Defense and Aerospace Group. "By bringing autonomous launch, recovery, and recharging directly to the vehicle, we give operators persistent situational awareness, faster access to actionable intelligence, and greater protection in high-tempo missions."

The system is compatible with Black Hornet 4 nano-drones and includes optional 100-gram mission modules for future sensor and payload configurations. Applications extend beyond military use to law enforcement, border security, infrastructure monitoring, and maritime patrols.

Black Recon is available for order with deliveries expected to begin in 2027, according to the press release from Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: TDY).