Selex ES Falco
Italian tactical ISTAR UAV family, unarmed except for the Astore variant.
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Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Falco—Italian for "hawk"—is a family of tactical unmanned aerial vehicles built by Selex ES, now part of Leonardo, with roots in Galileo Avionica of Italy. These drones operate at medium altitude and endurance, focusing on intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR). They carry various payloads, such as high-resolution sensors.
A bigger version, the Falco EVO, can handle heavier loads. Neither variant is weaponized by design, but an armed derivative called Astore, based on the Falco EVO, carries two Turkish Roketsan Cirit 70 mm laser-guided missiles alongside its ISTAR gear. As of 2026, the Bangladesh Air Force is the only confirmed user of the armed Falco family.
Development began with a first flight in December 2003, and platform qualification wrapped up by late October 2004 after over 40 hours of testing at Sardinia’s Salto di Quirra range. Flight control validation finished in September 2004, with onboard system testing planned for early 2005 and electro-optical sensor integration set for July 2005.
Radar installation was scheduled for 2006. In January 2007, factory acceptance tests were completed, and the first production system was ready for its launch customer, believed to be Pakistan. The production model used a modified 80 hp (60 kW) engine from UAV Engines.
By March 2009, a modified version called Falco Evo—short for "evolution"—was on offer, with larger tail booms and wings that nearly doubled the wingspan to 12.5 meters and boosted payload from 70 kg to 100 kg. Its first flight was expected by mid-2010. Selex ES declined to name the customer, but Pakistan had ordered five systems, totaling 25 Falco UAVs plus spare flight units and ground control stations. Two systems were in service by March 2009, two more had been delivered, and final assembly of the last system was happening in Pakistan.
In August 2009, the Falco completed flight tests with a Robonic MC2555LLR pneumatic catapult launcher. Pakistan began manufacturing the Falco at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra. Around September 2009, the first flight with a PicoSAR AESA synthetic aperture radar occurred. On 23 July 2012, the Falco Evo made its 40-minute maiden flight from Bulgaria’s Cheshnegirovo air base.
Background
The Falco UAV's maiden flight took place in December 2003, and Galileo Avionica completed platform qualification in late October 2004 after over 40 hours of flight-testing at the Salto di Quirra test range in Sardinia. Validation of flight controls was completed in September 2004, with testing of onboard systems planned for early 2005 and integration of the electro-optical sensor suite for July 2005.
Radar installation was scheduled to begin in 2006. In January 2007, Galileo Avionica finished factory acceptance tests and was ready to deliver the first production Falco UAV System to its launch customer, then believed to be Pakistan. The production version used a modified powerplant developing 80 hp (60 kW), supplied by UAV Engines.
In March 2009, a modified version named Falco Evo (evo meaning evolution) was offered, featuring larger tail booms and wings that almost double the wingspan to 12.5 m and increase payload from 70 kg to 100 kg. Its first flight was expected by mid-2010. Pakistan ordered five systems, including 25 Falco UAVs with spare flight units and ground control stations; two systems were in service by March 2009, two more had been delivered, and final assembly of the last system was undertaken in Pakistan.
In August 2009, the Falco completed flight-tests launched by a Robonic MC2555LLR pneumatic launcher. Around September 2009, the first flight of a Falco carrying a high-resolution AESA synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor payload called PicoSAR was made. The Falco EVO successfully completed its 40-minute maiden flight from Cheshnegirovo air base in Bulgaria on 23 July 2012.
In August 2013, the Falco was chosen by the United Nations for deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo to monitor armed groups and protect civilians. In September 2013, Selex ES announced a deal worth over €40 million to sell the Falco to an unnamed Middle Eastern country. In June 2023, the Falco was shown at the Paris Air Show fitted with a Brimstone missile. The Falco UAV system comprises a Ground Control Station, Ground Data Terminal, Ground Support Equipment, and four Falco UAVs housing user-specified payloads.
Design
The Falco is 17 ft long, 6 ft high, has a 24 ft wingspan, a top speed of 134 mph, a maximum altitude of around 16,400 ft, and endurance up to 14 hours. Sensors include the EOST 46 electro-optical/infrared turret, Gabbiano 20 multi-mode surveillance radar, and the PicoSAR radar. The Falco EVO has a payload capacity of up to 100 kg and extended endurance of up to 18 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Selex ES Falco?
The Falco (Italian for 'hawk') is a family of Italian tactical unmanned aerial vehicles developed by Selex ES, the company now folded into Leonardo, with design lineage tracing back to Galileo Avionica. It is built for medium-altitude, long-endurance reconnaissance rather than strike work.
What role does the Falco actually perform?
Its core mission is ISTAR—gathering intelligence, conducting surveillance, acquiring targets, and performing reconnaissance from the air. It does this by carrying high-resolution electro-optical and other sensor payloads, and the larger Falco EVO variant can accommodate even heavier sensor suites.
What are the Falco's key size and speed figures?
The airframe stretches 6.2 metres in length and the Falco EVO variant spans 12.5 metres wingtip to wingtip. It can take off at up to 650 kg and cruises at a top speed of roughly 134 mph.
Is the Falco a weapons platform?
No—neither the standard Falco nor the Falco EVO is designed to carry ordnance. However, an armed spin-off called the Astore, derived from the Falco EVO airframe, can launch two Turkish-made Roketsan Cirit 70 mm laser-guided missiles.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Selex ES Falco (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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