Israel's Heven Drones targets global market with hydrogen-fueled Raider UAV

Heven Drones is introducing its latest unmanned aerial system (UAS), the Raider, ahead of the IDEX conference, marking a significant step in the company’s expansion into the Gulf region.

Report by Breaking Defense indicates that designed for extended endurance, versatile payloads, and modularity, the Raider aims to address critical challenges faced by modern military and security operators, per Caliber.Az.

Unlike conventional drones powered by batteries or combustion engines, the Raider operates on hydrogen fuel, offering increased energy efficiency and reduced detectability. Heven Drones CEO Benzion Levinson explained that while combustion engines allow for longer flights, their thermal signatures make them easier to detect. Hydrogen, in contrast, provides stealth-like characteristics, including a low radar cross-section, though Levinson did not specify exact figures.

“The hydrogen is transferred into a fuel cell, where a chemical reaction generates electricity,” Levinson told Breaking Defense, adding that this method is five times more energy efficient than battery-powered drones. The Raider’s operational range reaches 1,000 km, with a flight duration of approximately ten hours. The drone can be refuelled via a mobile hydrogen station, which can be transported by a Humvee or similar vehicle.

The Raider features a twin-fuselage structure and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, allowing deployment from naval vessels and diverse environments. The airframe, equipped with four rotors for VTOL, supports a 50-pound payload. While the company has not confirmed specific payload types, the design suggests compatibility with fuel tanks, targeting pods, or even munitions. The payload capacity aligns with US Department of Defense guidelines, making the US a key potential market.

Levinson emphasized that the Raider is designed to fill a niche between small quadcopters and larger UAVs like the MQ-9 Reaper. While pricing details remain undisclosed, he claimed it would be “100 to 1,000 times cheaper” than traditional medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) drones.

Originally founded in Israel, Heven Drones continues to conduct research and development there but is officially headquartered in Miami, Florida. This US base facilitates sales to American defence buyers and appeals to Middle Eastern customers who may have political sensitivities regarding Israeli-origin defence products.

By unveiling the Raider at IDEX, Heven Drones signals its commitment to expanding its presence in the Gulf defence market. However, Levinson also highlighted the Indo-Pacific as a key strategic region. “Most of the globe is water, and conflicts happen in those areas. The Indo-Pacific is a big one for the US,” he noted.

The Raider is expected to make its first flight before the end of 2025 and become fully operational by 2026.

By Tamilla Hasanova