TEAL Black Widow

The Teal Black Widow is a compact, foldable quadcopter drone developed by Teal Drones, a subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings, specifically for the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) program. Weighing approximately 1.63 kg, it is designed for portability and rapid deployment in various operational environments.

Equipped with a high-resolution electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera system, the Hadron 640R+ features a 64 MP EO sensor with a 67-degree horizontal field of view and an infrared sensor with a 32-degree field of view. This combination allows for detailed imaging and enhanced situational awareness. The drone’s endurance exceeds 35 minutes per flight, and it can operate within a range of up to 8 km at speeds reaching 37 km/h.

The Teal Black Widow has rapid field repairability, allowing for quick replacements of arms and other vital components.

The Black Widow incorporates advanced technologies such as autonomous navigation, forward-looking obstacle avoidance, and artificial intelligence capabilities powered by the Qualcomm RB5 processor. Its modular architecture supports the integration of secondary payloads, enhancing mission adaptability. Notably, the drone is equipped with anti-jamming technology, enabling operation in contested electronic warfare environments. Additionally, it offers a “stealth mode,” allowing for missions to be conducted with communications turned off to minimise detectability.

In November 2024, the U.S. Army selected the Black Widow for its SRR Tranche 2 program, aiming to procure approximately 11,700 units to enhance soldiers’ reconnaissance capabilities. Production is scheduled to commence in early 2025, marking a significant advancement in providing frontline war fighters with reliable and efficient intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance tools.