Uruguay Announces Tender for Reconnaissance Drones with a Range of 60 km

The Uruguayan Air Force canceled a previous tender for the purchase of drones because none of the bids met the financial conditions.

According to defensa.com, the $1.4 million limit for three sets of systems proved to be too low, especially after the additional requirement for aircraft certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

As a result, most bids significantly exceeded the set budget. Only a few Chinese options and one Brazilian bid were closer to the amount, but still more expensive.

The Air Force decided to announce a new competition with similar conditions, but without the certification requirement. The deadline for submitting applications is Liutyi 9, after which participants will have to conduct demonstration flights.

According to the technical requirements, the drones must be capable of flying beyond visual line of sight, operating via satellite communication or at a distance of more than 60 km from the base, have cyber security certificates and a transponder that automatically transmits data on the aircraft’s altitude and identification code to air traffic control systems.

A minimum flight duration of 10 hours in favorable conditions for reconnaissance missions has also been established. UAVs must have portable takeoff and landing systems, an emergency return mode, a mobile rapid deployment control station, and a composite material body.

Additionally, an internal backup battery for critical functions, an engine life of over 200 hours, and a spare engine for each aircraft are required.