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Saudi Arabia produces unmanned aerial vehicle

By Richard Tomkins
The Saqr-1 drone has a range of more than 2,500 kilometers and an endurance of more than 24 hours. Photo courtesy of Saudi Press Agency
The Saqr-1 drone has a range of more than 2,500 kilometers and an endurance of more than 24 hours. Photo courtesy of Saudi Press Agency

May 12 (UPI) -- Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology has unveiled a strategic drone program and aircraft.

The Medium Altitude Long Endurance unmanned aerial vehicle is the Saqr-1, which features a KA-band satellite communications system.

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Prince Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed, president of KACST, said the Saqr-1 has a range of more than 2,500 kilometers and an endurance of more than 24 hours, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The aircraft flies at an average altitude of 20,000 feet.

Additional details of the drone and the KACST program were not disclosed.

In March, the kingdom announced a deal with China to build the first drone factory in the Middle East.

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