Paris Air Show: Patroller enters final qualification phase
Safran’s Patroller UAS has entered its final phase of industrial qualification at the Istres DGA flight test center in southern France, the company announced on 17 June.
According to the company, the aircraft has demonstrated capabilities across a range of criteria, including automated take-off and landing, mission execution, the simultaneous operation of its sensors in real time, the capabilities of its electro-optical and radar payloads, low noise levels, endurance, ease of use and availability.
Patroller’s airframe features a modular design, enabling it to carry a multi-sensor intelligence payload of up to 250kg - electro-optical, radar or electronic warfare - tailored to each type of mission.
The ground station handles mission planning and management, reconnaissance, location-determination, automatic target tracking, real-time intelligence data fusion and distribution, and onboard simulation for training exercises, all in compliance with the latest NATO standards.
The UAS isofficially certified according to the NATO standard STANAG 4671.
The first Patroller system for the French Army's tactical drone system (SDT) programme, which consists into five drones and two ground stations, will be delivered to the French Defence Procurement Agency at the end of 2019.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Tactical Drone System (SDT) [France]
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