The Israel Air Force is testing a new sensor designed to enable its Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to spot underground tunnels and other well-concealed assets used by militant groups, The Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday.

UAVs, better known as drones, routinely fly reconnaissance and surveillance missions over Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, where camouflaged tunnels are used for smuggling weapons and shielding militants from airstrikes.

Developed by Elbit Systems Ltd., Israel's largest publicly traded defense electronics company, the so-called hyper-spectral sensor uses patented imaging technology that shows the wavelengths of materials, enabling drone operators to identify the unique spectral signature of potential targets, according to the report.

"It means that if a bush doesn't match the natural vegetation in an area, we will be able to detect it," an IAF officer told the Post.

Elbit said it has designed the sensor for installation on its Hermes 900, a medium-sized multi-payload drone which entered service with the IAF two years ago, as well as on the older Hermes 450. Both are fitted with sophisticated electro-optic and electronic warfare gear, but the latter is thought to also be armed with missiles, having been used on various occasions to strike targets in Gaza and elsewhere.

The new airborne sensor comes with a ground-based segment that automatically analyzes the images received and a mission planning system, components that together would enable the early detection of tunnels and other hard-to-spot infrastructure used by militants, according to the report.

While the IAF has not yet decided to purchase the new technology, it can also be applied for commercial and scientific use, such as measuring air and water pollution levels and locating mineral deposits, the report said.