February 22, 2010 - Israel: Israel's air force introduced a fleet of huge pilot-less planes that can remain in the air for a full day and could fly as far as the Persian Gulf, putting rival Iran within range. The Heron TP drones have a wingspan of 86 feet (26 meters), making them the size of Boeing 737 passenger jets and the largest unmanned aircraft in Israel's military. The planes can fly at least 20 consecutive hours and are primarily used for surveillance and carrying diverse payloads. At the fleet's inauguration ceremony, the drone dwarfed an F-15 fighter jet parked beside it. The unmanned plane resembles its predecessor, the Heron, but can fly higher, reaching an altitude of more than 40,000 feet (12,000 meters), and remain in the air longer. (Ziv Koren/Polaris)