Tel Aviv: The use of UAVs in recent and ongoing wars has re-echoed an all time high and the numbers continues to grow. To facilitate the training of UAV operators, Israeli company Elbit Systems has developed a line of advanced simulators.
According to an Elbit official, the company’s UAV simulators can save up to 90 % of the time needed to train a UAV operator.
Elbit Systems’ UAV simulators build a multi-layered training ecosystem that includes everything from payload-specific training and individual operator proficiency to cooperative mission rehearsal linked by AI-driven, cloud-based synthetic environments. Their solutions align with Elbit’s “Train as You Fight” objective, which combines the live, virtual, and constructive (LVC) domains for multi-domain operational readiness.
Elbit Systems’ UAV Training Suite covers every aspect of UAV operation, from flight control and payload management to mission rehearsal and failure simulation. The simulators recreate the operating environment of platforms such as Hermes 900, Hermes 450, Skylark 3, Skylark I-LEX, and THOR VTOL mini-UAS.
Through the simulation of payload performance, system failures, and ground control station (GCS) dynamics, they help operators practice executing missions in real time under realistic conditions.
The technology used by Elbit Systems allows geographically separate systems to operate in one synthetic battlespace, improving collaborative UAV–manned system training. Some UAV simulators are integrated into Elbit’s Embedded Virtual Avionics (EVA) and In-Flight Electronic Warfare Simulator (IFEWS) systems, originally designed for manned aircraft. These provide hybrid live-virtual training scenarios by fusing real avionics with simulated threats and sensor environments — a key feature for dual-use manned–unmanned teaming exercises.
To support decentralised training, Elbit Systems has developed mobile threat simulators, enabling EW (electronic warfare) and UAV operators to train in dynamically changing environments replicating radar, MANPADS, and laser-guided threats. These mobile systems are modular and network-compatible, permitting integration with tactical UAV mission centres.
The Elbit official confirmed that AI is being integrated into the company’s UAV simulators. “The initial demand comes from customers who need to operate their simulators over urban areas but this without any doubt will grow. AI will help make the simulators even more effective as replacement for training with UAVs in the air,” the official added.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
