Brazil's Caçador drone takes first flight

SAO PAULO, July 7 (UPI) -- Brazil's Caçador drone took its first demonstration flight last week in Sao Paulo, manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries announced Thursday.

The class 4 medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial system was built by IAI affiliate A.S. Avionics Services S.A., the company said in a statement.

The drone can fly more than 40 hours at a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet, with a range of over 600 miles.

The Caçador can carry multiple payloads simultaneously for a variety of missions and features wideband satellite communication channels that offer a range particularly suited for a country as large as Brazil, IAI said.

It is the only class 4 domestic UAS operating in Brazil.

The Caçador is based on the Heron-1, developed by IAI and used by more than 20 customers globally.

IAI and Avionics Services signed a cooperation agreement in 2013, which is helping to build a Brazilian drone industrial base.