Aircraft & UAVs

Aeronautics Orbiter 2

Also known as
  • Orbiter 2
  • Orbiter 2 ISR
  • Orbiter 2 Mini UAS
  • Orbiter 2M
  • Orbiter 2B

The Aeronautics Orbiter 2 is an Israeli fixed-wing mini-UAS for tactical ISR, target acquisition, surveillance, and payload-flexible mission support. Current Aeronautics material presents the Orbiter 2 ISR as a 13 kg, catapult-launched system with EO/IR, electronic-intelligence, communications-intelligence, electronic-warfare, video-processing, and jammer payload options, while Azerbaijan assembled Orbiter-family UAVs through Azad Systems and fielded Orbiter-2 reconnaissance drones in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.

Aeronautics Orbiter 2, Mini unmanned aerial system, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: Commons Orbiter 2 Finnish Display Image

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Israel; assembled and produced in Azerbaijan through Azad Systems
Built in
IsraelAzerbaijan
Type
Mini unmanned aerial system
Service note
2010s-present mini-UAS family, documented in Azerbaijani service by the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war
Designer
Aeronautics Defense Systems
Designed
2000s Orbiter mini-UAV family
Unit cost
Not publicly standardized
Produced
2010s-present
Number built
Not publicly disclosed

Specifications

Maximum takeoff weight
13 kg
Wingspan
2.9 m
Length
1.4 m
Endurance
Up to 3 hours
Datalink
Encrypted line-of-sight datalink up to 50 km, with AES-256 and frequency hopping listed in the brochure
Payload
Up to 1.8 kg
Maximum speed
50 kt
Maximum altitude
16,000 ft ASL
Operational flight altitude
500-3,000 ft AGL
Launch and recovery
Pneumatic catapult launch with airbag and parachute recovery
Sensor and mission payloads
EO/IR with laser pointer, ELINT, COMINT, EW, WAMI, ATR, VMD, onboard tracker, and communication jammer
Variants

Orbiter 2 sources use overlapping labels: Orbiter 2 ISR for the current reconnaissance system, Orbiter 2M/2B for earlier or export fits, and Orbiter 2 LM for the loitering-munition branch that shares the small Orbiter 2 family footprint.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Orbiter 2 ISRCurrent reconnaissance and ISTAR configuration

Aeronautics' current product page and brochure identify Orbiter 2 ISR as the tactical reconnaissance, intelligence, force-protection, and BDA member of the line.

Sources: Orbiter 2 ISR, Orbiter 2 ISR brochure pdf

Orbiter 2MAzerbaijani production/export label

sUAS News reported that Azad Systems would build Orbiter 2M UAVs in Azerbaijan, providing the local-production context behind Azerbaijani Orbiter-family service.

Sources: Orbiter 2 to be built in Azerbaijan

Orbiter 2BDigital-datalink and payload revamp

Defense-Update described Orbiter 2B as an all-digital system able to carry STAMP-series EO payloads, including M-STAMP with day camera, IR camera, and laser pointer.

Sources: Defense-Update Orbiter 2B revamp

Aeronautics Orbiter 1K, Class 1 loitering munition UAS, Aircraft & UAVsAeronautics Orbiter 1KLoitering-munition branch

Defense-Update describes Orbiter 1K as a loitering weapon based on the Orbiter 2 Mini UAV, while current Aeronautics material presents the armed branch as Orbiter 2 LM in a sensor-to-shooter package.

Sources: Orbiter family - Defense Update, Aeronautics introduces New Orbiter 2 LM Concept

Carried Sensors and Payloads

Aeronautics lists Communication Jammer, EW, COMINT, ELINT, and EO/IR with Laser Pointer among the Orbiter 2 ISR sensors and payloads.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Communication Jammer, Jammer payload option, Electronic WarfareCommunication JammerJammer payload

The Orbiter 2 ISR page and brochure list Communication Jammer among available payloads.

Sources: Orbiter 2 ISR, Orbiter 2 ISR brochure pdf

Orbiter 2 EW payload, Electronic warfare payload option, Electronic WarfareOrbiter 2 EW payloadElectronic warfare payload

The Orbiter 2 ISR page and brochure list EW among available sensors and payloads.

Sources: Orbiter 2 ISR, Orbiter 2 ISR brochure pdf

COMINT, Communications intelligence payload, Electronic WarfareCOMINTCommunications intelligence payload

The Orbiter 2 ISR page and brochure list COMINT among available sensors and payloads.

Sources: Orbiter 2 ISR, Orbiter 2 ISR brochure pdf

ELINT, Electronic intelligence payload, Electronic WarfareELINTElectronic intelligence payload

The Orbiter 2 ISR page and brochure list ELINT among available sensors and payloads.

Sources: Orbiter 2 ISR, Orbiter 2 ISR brochure pdf

EO/IR with Laser Pointer, Electro-optical/infrared sensor payload with laser pointer, Aircraft & UAVsEO/IR with Laser PointerEO/IR sensor payload

The Orbiter 2 ISR page and brochure list EO/IR with Laser Pointer among available sensors and payloads.

Sources: Orbiter 2 ISR, Orbiter 2 ISR brochure pdf

Mission And Payload Context

The Orbiter 2 record is strongest as a compact tactical ISR carrier with selectable payloads, not as one fixed sensor fit. Aeronautics' current material places EO/IR, ELINT, COMINT, EW, WAMI, ATR, VMD, onboard tracking, and communication-jammer options inside the same 13 kg mini-UAS envelope, while later STS material ties the ISR aircraft to a nearby Orbiter 2 LM loitering munition for target handoff and battle-damage assessment.

Carrier envelope

Catapult-launched electric mini-UAS with a 2.9 m wingspan, up to three hours endurance, and an encrypted 50 km line-of-sight datalink.

Payload logic

Manufacturer sources list imaging, signals-intelligence, electronic-warfare, tracking, video-processing, and jammer payload options rather than one permanent mission fit.

Family boundary

The armed Orbiter 1K/Orbiter 2 LM branch is related to the Orbiter 2 airframe family, but this page's conflict row is limited to documented Orbiter-2 reconnaissance-drone use.

Timeline

Aeronautics Orbiter 2 Key Events

  1. Azad Systems production reported

    sUAS News reported that Orbiter 2M and Aerostar UAVs would be produced at Azad Systems, a joint venture between Aeronautics Defense Systems and Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence Industry.

    Sources: Orbiter 2 to be built in Azerbaijan

  2. Orbiter 2B revamp described

    Defense-Update reported an all-digital Orbiter 2B revamp with a digital datalink and expanded payload options, including STAMP-family EO payloads.

    Sources: Defense-Update Orbiter 2B revamp

  3. Azerbaijani combat use documented

    CNN's 2023 Karabakh arms-trade review identified Orbiter-2 reconnaissance drones among Israeli-made systems used by Azerbaijan in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.

    Sources: CNN/WRAL Arms Trade Scrutiny

  4. Finnish upgrade package announced

    European Security & Defence reported Aeronautics' mid-life upgrade contract for the Finnish Defence Forces Orbiter 2 fleet, including sensors, avionics, data-processing systems, and payload options.

    Sources: Orbiter 2 upgrade contract - ESD

  5. Sensor-to-shooter concept introduced

    Aeronautics introduced the Orbiter 2 LM and an Orbiter 2 STS package in which the Orbiter 2 ISR gathers intelligence, pinpoints targets, and conducts battle-damage assessment for the loitering-munition branch.

    Sources: Aeronautics introduces New Orbiter 2 LM Concept

Media

Aeronautics Orbiter 2 Videos

Aeronautics Orbiter 2 Images

Aeronautics Orbiter 2, Mini unmanned aerial system, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: Commons Azeri Orbiter Parade Image
Aeronautics Orbiter 2, Mini unmanned aerial system, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2
Source: Commons Aeronautics Orbiter UAV Image
Aeronautics Orbiter 2, Mini unmanned aerial system, Aircraft & UAVs - view 3
Source: Commons Serbian Orbiter Image
Related Weapon Systems
Aeronautics Orbiter 3 UAV, Small tactical unmanned aircraft system, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAeronautics Orbiter 3 UAVSmall tactical unmanned aircraft systemThe Aeronautics Orbiter 3 is a fully electric, runway-independent small tactical UAS built for ISTAR missions and modular payloads. Aeronautics now advertises up to 10 hours of endurance, launcher-and-parachute recovery or an add-on VTOL kit, and payload options that include EO/IR, ELINT, COMINT, EW, SAR, VMD, and MTI. Azerbaijan fielded Orbiter 3s in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and Aeronautics later announced Greek procurement activity in 2023.
IAI Searcher UAV, Tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsIAI Searcher UAVTactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicleThe IAI Searcher is an Israeli tactical UAV family built by Israel Aerospace Industries for surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition, artillery adjustment, and battle-damage assessment. Searcher Mk II and Mk III extended the line with longer endurance, heavier payload options, and export service, including Sri Lankan Air Force use in the civil war and Azerbaijani reconnaissance/fire-control use in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.

Sources

Orbiter 2 ISRPublisher: Aeronautics Defense Systems | Note: Supports current manufacturer background, ISR carrier context, STS overview, payload options including EO/IR with Laser Pointer, and technical specifications for the Orbiter 2 ISR Mini UAS. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Orbiter 2 ISR brochure pdfPublisher: Aeronautics Defense Systems | Note: Supports current Orbiter 2 ISR specifications, launch and recovery method, datalink details, payload menu, and tactical ISR mission context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Orbiter Family brochure pdfPublisher: Aeronautics Defense Systems | Note: Supports Orbiter family positioning, common ground-control context, Orbiter 2 ISR/LM family framing, and comparative family specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Aeronautics introduces New Orbiter 2 LM ConceptPublisher: Aeronautics Defense Systems | Note: Supports the June 6, 2024 Orbiter 2 LM announcement, shared Orbiter 2 ISR/LM platform context, and sensor-to-shooter role division. | Accessed: 2026-07-03CNN/WRAL Arms Trade ScrutinyPublisher: CNN via WRAL | Note: Supports 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict direct-use claim: Orbiter-2 reconnaissance drones were used by Azerbaijan during the 2020 war. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Death From Above - Azerbaijan's Killer Drone ArsenalPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports background on Azerbaijan's Israeli-made surveillance UAV fleet and local Azad Systems production of Orbiter 2, Orbiter 3, Aerostar, and Orbiter 1K systems. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Orbiter 2 to be built in AzerbaijanPublisher: sUAS News | Note: Supports Azerbaijani production and assembly context for Orbiter 2/Orbiter 2M UAVs through Azad Systems. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Orbiter 2 upgrade contract - ESDPublisher: European Security & Defence | Note: Supports the April 2023 Finnish Defence Forces upgrade context and describes Orbiter 2 specifications, EO/IR laser-pointer payload, and EW payload options for ELINT, COMINT, or jamming missions. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Defense-Update Orbiter 2B revampPublisher: Defense-Update | Note: Supports Orbiter 2B variant context, digital-datalink revamp, STAMP-series EO payloads, and M-STAMP laser-pointer payload detail. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Orbiter family - Defense UpdatePublisher: Defense-Update | Note: Supports Orbiter family context, Orbiter 2 tactical ISR role, payload examples, and the relationship between Orbiter 1K and the Orbiter 2 Mini UAV. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Commons Orbiter 2 Finnish Display ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the primary Orbiter 2 image; the file page identifies a Finnish Defence Forces Orbiter 2 UAV and public-domain release. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Commons Azeri Orbiter Parade ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for an Azerbaijani Orbiter 2M displayed at a 2013 Baku military parade under CC0. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Commons Aeronautics Orbiter UAV ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for an Aeronautics Orbiter UAV image released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Commons Serbian Orbiter ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for an Orbiter UAV in Serbian service released into the public domain. | Accessed: 2026-07-03