Nepal buys Robinson Unmanned Spirit drones for army use

Nepal has ordered the Spirit small uncrewed aerial system from Robinson Unmanned for its army, the company said. The order went through the US government's Foreign Military Sales channel, with Robinson's Ascent AeroSystems entity as contractor.

The award covers the aircraft plus payload kits, spare hardware, an extended warranty and operator training, according to the company. Robinson Unmanned did not disclose the contract's value or the number of systems Nepal will receive.

The Spirit is a vertical take-off and landing design for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance work. Maximum take-off weight is 6.1kg, of which as much as 2.9kg can be payload. The company says it can operate at altitudes up to 14,600ft above mean sea level, in temperatures from 45°C down to -40°C, and in winds above 35kt.

Paul Fermo, president of Robinson Unmanned, said operators in mountainous and remote settings need equipment they can rely on, and the aircraft was built to carry different payloads as missions change. The award extends the system's use to another international partner, he said.

The company describes the airframe as a cylindrical body and compact co-axial layout with a modular, open architecture that lets hardware, software and mission equipment be integrated quickly. It said the aircraft's performance in varying terrain and climates suits the conditions it is sold for.

Nepal has suffered severe flooding in recent months, including a disaster in late August that the source material says killed more than 1,400 people, with thousands more unaccounted for.