Quiet drone near Albuquerque production

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - It's like something out of a spy movie.

The Silent Falcon is a compact unmanned drone weighing a bit more than 20 pounds. It can run for hours on batteries and solar power and has a maximum wing span of 17 feet.

It was unveiled at the Unmanned Systems North America conference in Las Vegas, Nev., and it's a New Mexico baby.

The drone is the brain child of Albuquerque native John Brown. He says the motto of the company is, "We fly longer, we fly silent and we see more."

The original idea was the drones would go to work for the military. The small craft ranges in size from a seven-foot wingspan to 17 feet.

The wings are equipped with solar cells, and those coupled with batteries allow the drone to fly for up to 14 hours.

A unique motor and propeller system ensures the drone is nearly silent, and it has a small 360-degree high-definition camera with infrared capabilities on board. The camera system is called Falcon Vision.

The Silent Falcon is designed to be carried to mission sites. It's made of light-weight carbon fiber composite, and it snaps apart. As a result it can be hauled and assembled by two people.

The Silent Falcon will sell for $250,000-$300,000, and developers are just now taking orders. They hope to begin limited manufacturing in Albuquerque in the first or second quarter of 2013.