The Patroller tactical drone system, developed and produced by Safran Electronics & Defense, carried out a series of flight tests this past summer in Finland. These tests were part of the tactical drone system (SDT) program conducted by French defense procurement agency DGA (Direction Generale de l'Armement) as contracting authority. The successful test program was witnessed by representatives of the DGA and the French army.

A major step towards the industrial qualification of the Patroller tactical drone system, this flight test program showed the maturity, quality and operational capabilities of the Patroller and its two main payloads: the Euroflir410 optronic (electro-optical) pod and a surveillance radar. The Patroller reflects Safran Electronics & Defense's expertise in observation, guidance and decision systems, making it an advanced intelligence asset for the army. It supports the fusion of data from the two payloads to enhance their effectiveness and allow the drone to play a full-fledged role in the collaborative battlefield.

The program logged some 76 flight-hours in 21 flights and met all objectives: endurance flights in the 14-hour class, optronic and radar payload performance, simultaneous and real-time operation of the payloads, automatic takeoff and landing, mission management, low-noise operation, availability and ease of operation.

Safran Robonic, the Finnish subsidiary of Safran Electronics & Defense, facilitated the test program and also procured the required flight authorizations from the Finnish civil aviation authority, Traficom.

Patroller will carry out intelligence missions for armies. It gives tactical units an unrivaled ability to perform surveillance, data acquisition, reconnaissance and intelligence missions. A long-endurance drone system, it deploys an array of sensors to detect, survey, identify and locate threats discretely, at long range and day or night. Patroller is one of the first drone systems that will be officially certified under the NATO standard for this category of UAV.

Contact:

T: +33155604138

E: pascal.deberge@safrangroup.com

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 76,000 employees and sales of 16.5 billion euros in 2020 and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets. Safran undertakes research and development programs to maintain the environmental priorities of its R&T and Innovation roadmap.

Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices.

Safran Electronics & Defense is a world leading supplier of products and services that handle observation, decision and guidance functions for both civil and military applications. The company understands and applies a wide range of the state-of-the-art technologies that underpin embedded intelligence in many different areas, as a supplier to some of today's most innovative aerospace and defense programs.

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