The RT 180 Tactical Aerostat System is designed for mid-range surveillance defense and security applications for police and military according to the Israeli based company RT .

The helium filled aerostat which is tethered to a ground comes on a towable trailer, can operate in day or night at 1000 feet and in winds up to 40 knots. Two people are required to operate the system.

By providing an elevated platform, well above the field of operation, the system offers an indispensable, dominating view of the scene below. The system is based on a towable trailer and consists of a stabilized day/night electro-optical payload suspended from a helium filled aerostat that is tethered to a ground system, and a Portable Ground Control Station (PGCS).

The Skystar 180 provides 360°, 24-7, presence above a protected area, providing high quality surveillance and automatic scanning. Furthermore, the Skystar 180 presents outstanding tactical capabilities : it can operate up to 3 days straight with only a 20 minutes re-inflation break after 72 hours – RT

RT claims that their systems are already deployed in many countries around the world including Israel, Afghanistan, Mexico, Thailand, Canada, Africa and Russia.

Featured image by RT