Profile
- Type
- Small tactical unmanned aircraft system
- Conflict side
- Azerbaijan
- Origin
- Israel; locally assembled or produced in Azerbaijan by Azad Systems
- Service note
- 2010s-present tactical UAV
Aircraft & UAVs
Aeronautics Orbiter 3 UAV
The Aeronautics Orbiter 3 is an Israeli small tactical UAV built for ISTAR missions with electro-optical, infrared, signals-intelligence, and electronic-warfare payload options. Azerbaijan fielded Orbiter 3 surveillance UAVs during the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict as part of a broader drone force used to locate targets, support fire control, and maintain aerial reconnaissance over Armenian positions.
- Conflict side
- Azerbaijan
- Built in
- Israel; Azerbaijan
Service History
- In service
- Presented with Azerbaijani forces by 2017; documented in Azerbaijani drone inventory during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war
- Used by
- Azerbaijani forces
- Wars
- Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
Production History
- Designer
- Aeronautics Group
- Designed
- 2010s
- Built in
- Israel; Azerbaijan
- Produced
- 2010s-present
- Variants
- Orbiter 3, Azerbaijani-manufactured Orbiter 3 derivative
Specifications
- Maximum takeoff weight
- 32 kg
- Wingspan
- 4.4 m
- Length
- 1.2 m
- Endurance
- Up to 6 hours
- Datalink range
- Line-of-sight up to 50 km or 100 km, depending on configuration
- Payload
- Up to 5.5 kg; EO/IR, SIGINT, EW, radio relay, AIS, and other payload options
- Maximum speed
- 70 knots
- Launch and recovery
- Runway-independent system using launcher takeoff and parachute/airbag recovery
Conflict Usage
- Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
- Side: AzerbaijanRole: Tactical surveillance and target acquisition
Azerbaijani forces fielded Orbiter 3 surveillance UAVs as part of the Israeli-origin drone inventory used for reconnaissance, target acquisition, and fire-control support during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
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Orbiter 3Publisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports manufacturer background, mission description, payload options, and current Orbiter 3 specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Orbiter 3 BrochurePublisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports detailed Orbiter 3 specifications and payload descriptions from the manufacturer brochure. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Death From Above - Azerbaijan's Killer Drone ArsenalPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict direct-use context: Orbiter 3 surveillance UAVs were used by Azerbaijan as part of the drone arsenal that operated over Nagorno-Karabakh in the 2020 war. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Drone Warfare over Nagorno-KarabakhPublisher: Security Outlines | Note: Supports Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict direct-use context: Orbiter-3 non-lethal tactical UAVs were used by Azerbaijan for surveillance and fire-support roles in the war. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Azerbaijani Army Unveils Its New Orbiter-3 Small Tactical UASPublisher: Defence Blog | Note: Supports Azerbaijani operator, Azad Systems production, and Orbiter 3 ISTAR role background. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Commons Orbiter 3 ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing for an Aeronautics Orbiter 3 image. | Accessed: 2026-06-20