TEHRAN, Oct. 30 (MNA) – In line with the efforts to bolster Iran’s defensive power, an upgraded version of the homegrown ‘Farpad’ drone – a hand-launched reconnaissance aerial vehicle– has been delivered to the Iranian Army’s operation units, says the commander of Army Ground Force.

Brigadier General Kioomars Heidari said on Wednesday that the drone, which has been designed and manufactured by the Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization of the Iranian Army, has joined the military after successfully passing multiple tests in different situations.

Farpad is equipped with an autopilot system, a portable ground station and imaging apparatus for day and night flights.

The roughly-four-kilogram domestically-manufactured drone can fly as far as 20 kilometers (12 miles) for 45 minutes. It is used in reconnaissance missions and is capable of either storing information or transferring data via online connection.

Should it come under jamming attacks, the aircraft would return to the base, using its autopilot.

The earlier version of Farpad was unveiled in December 2016.

Despite economic sanctions, Iran has been self-sufficient when it comes to producing military armaments and defense-related hardware. Iran’s officials maintain that it is all for defensive purposes and not aggression.

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