The drone was completely destroyed but there were no injuries or other damage to third parties, said the Federal Office of Defence Procurement (armasuisse) on Thursday. The army was informed of the crash by the Israeli manufacturer Elbit Systems.
“The drone was intended to form part of the ADS15 procurement package for the Swiss Armed Forces. The cost of the damage will be covered by Elbit Systems Ltd,” said armasuisse.
The cause of the crash is not yet known, and an investigation has been launched by the Israeli Ministry of Transport.
More delay
The Swiss army ordered six Hermes 900-type drones in 2015 at a cost of CHF250 million (around $256 million at the time).
The crash is only going to further delay the commissioning of the new reconnaissance drones originally scheduled for late 2019. The sensor system, which should enable the drone to detect aircraft and helicopters and thus avoid collisions, is not yet available, armasuisse explained in mid-July.
In addition, the certification of the ADS 15 surveillance system by the Israeli licensing authority is also taking longer than expected.
Popular Stories
More
Life & Aging
Zurich: how the world capital of housing shortages is tackling the problem
In Switzerland more people are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Are there similar approaches where you live?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
This content was published on
After reaching a low point at the end of 2024, the Swiss job market showed the first signs of a slight recovery in the first quarter.
This content was published on
Switzerland's dioceses are making arrangements for the faithful to attend the Pope's funeral, including public screenings.
Vulnerable tenants hit hardest by Zurich evictions
This content was published on
More tenants are evicted in Zurich than anywhere else in Switzerland, which particularly affects older people on low incomes.
This content was published on
Swiss National Bank Q1 profits weighed down by foreign currency investments, which the rise in gold was unable to offset.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Army reports delay in receiving drones for border patrol
This content was published on
The Swiss border will be temporarily monitored by helicopters instead of drones starting at the end of 2019 due to a delivery delay.
Alternative to the Gripen: new drones from Israel?
This content was published on
The Swiss government is looking to renew its fleet of drones and deciding which models to acquire. The “Hermes 900” and “Heron 1” are the two under scrutiny, both produced by Israeli companies. Switzerland may buy six such drones for a total price of CHF250 million. Switzerland needs surveillance drones, not armed drones, to support…
This content was published on
On Monday, the Senate voted for the purchase of six unarmed Hermes 900 drones (30 votes for, 12 against), which followed earlier approval by the House of Representatives. Campaigners had criticised the deal with Israeli company Elbit Systems, urging Switzerland not to invest in Israel’s military complex due to its “systematic human rights abuses” against…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.