Switzerland May Halt Further Purchases of Israeli Hermes 900 Drones

Switzerland is considering canceling its purchase of Israeli Hermes 900 drones due to concerns that they do not fully meet current safety and operational standards.

According to Turkiye Today, the drones have shown limitations in promptly detecting and avoiding birds and low-flying aircraft, which has raised safety concerns regarding Swiss airspace.

As a result, takeoffs and landings of the Hermes 900 should be accompanied by helicopters to reduce the risk of accidents.

In addition to technical limitations, criticism is growing over the platform’s problematic operational history.

In recent years, the Hermes 900 has been involved in a number of incidents – including crashes and drone losses in Lebanon and Chile.

The program, which was originally scheduled for full implementation by 2019, is now being delayed until 2029.

Of the six planned drones, only four have been delivered, none of which are yet suitable for full combat missions.

One of Switzerland’s key requirements was the ability for autonomous landing without using GPS, to ensure reliable operation in case of signal loss.

Despite Elbit’s proposals for design modifications, Swiss officials now acknowledge that the initial expectations were overly optimistic.

The Israeli Hermes 900 is an all-weather tactical unmanned aerial vehicle designed for aerial reconnaissance, surveillance, and patrol of designated areas.

The drone made its first flight in December 2009. It has been in serial production in Israel since 2011 and comes in several versions. According to the company, since the first order, over 20 clients worldwide have chosen the Hermes 900.