At Milipol Paris 2015, Thales unveils Spy’Ranger, the latest-generation surveillance and reconnaissance mini-UAV specifically tailored to the needs of armed forces, security forces and essential operators. With the increase in battlefield anti-UAV countermeasures, modern field units need platforms with ever higher security and survivability capabilities to ensure that they are not neutralised during combat operations when the intelligence that the UAV gather is most crucial.
Spy’Ranger has been designed by a team consisting of Europe’s premier UAV developers from both Thales and French aerospace SME, Aviation Design. Its development rests along four technological pillars: A robust and innovative electric powered airframe, the most advanced gimbal in the world to optimise observed frontline and range, the highest tactical datalink standard, and a combat-proven command and control (C2) software. The reason why these technologies are the cornerstone of its development is simple. Combined, they render the Spy’Ranger one of the most effective surveillance platforms in the world, according to the companies, able to maintain combat effectiveness under most adverse conditions and despite most concerted efforts to disrupt operational effectiveness.
The gimbal is a veritable breakthrough in itself. Most UAVs will not be able to maintain sensor equipment on target during sudden and violent manoeuvres. The Spy’Ranger gimbal will maintain the camera and sensor equipment on target even if the aircraft is pushing the manoeuvring limits of its airframe. This makes it effective under most tactical scenarios, especially when overflying enemy airspace, meaning that whatever the situation, field units will not lose intelligence data during combat.
The tactical datalink is one of the most robust ever deployed on a reconnaissance mini-UAV, according to Thales. Communications are secured and encrypted to maintain service availability in jammed conditions and to prevent intrusions into the system. For a unit in the field this level of fidelity is crucial to maintain operational intelligence even in the most difficult operations against well-equipped adversaries. Finally the combat-proven C2 software provides an effective user interface that allows the drone to be operated by a single pilot and with a reduced training phase.
Thales will be holding a press conference about Spy’Ranger at the Thales stand (5P177) on: Thursday 19 November at 15:00h.
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| Thales' Spy'Ranger Mini-UAV unveiled at MILIPOL 2015. (Photo: Thales) |
Spy’Ranger has been designed by a team consisting of Europe’s premier UAV developers from both Thales and French aerospace SME, Aviation Design. Its development rests along four technological pillars: A robust and innovative electric powered airframe, the most advanced gimbal in the world to optimise observed frontline and range, the highest tactical datalink standard, and a combat-proven command and control (C2) software. The reason why these technologies are the cornerstone of its development is simple. Combined, they render the Spy’Ranger one of the most effective surveillance platforms in the world, according to the companies, able to maintain combat effectiveness under most adverse conditions and despite most concerted efforts to disrupt operational effectiveness.
The gimbal is a veritable breakthrough in itself. Most UAVs will not be able to maintain sensor equipment on target during sudden and violent manoeuvres. The Spy’Ranger gimbal will maintain the camera and sensor equipment on target even if the aircraft is pushing the manoeuvring limits of its airframe. This makes it effective under most tactical scenarios, especially when overflying enemy airspace, meaning that whatever the situation, field units will not lose intelligence data during combat.
The tactical datalink is one of the most robust ever deployed on a reconnaissance mini-UAV, according to Thales. Communications are secured and encrypted to maintain service availability in jammed conditions and to prevent intrusions into the system. For a unit in the field this level of fidelity is crucial to maintain operational intelligence even in the most difficult operations against well-equipped adversaries. Finally the combat-proven C2 software provides an effective user interface that allows the drone to be operated by a single pilot and with a reduced training phase.
Thales will be holding a press conference about Spy’Ranger at the Thales stand (5P177) on: Thursday 19 November at 15:00h.
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| Thales' SPY'RANGER at MILIPOL 2015. (Photo: STN) |