Defence Online

Thales unveils latest in UAV Spy’Ranger range

Air June 26, 2019

Thales has unveiled its latest edition to its range of mini Unmanned Air Systems, for tactical surveillance and intelligence at the Paris Air Show.

Making its debut in Paris, the Spy’Ranger 550 has a 50-kilometre range and five hours of autonomy. It is equipped with a state-of-the-art image chain, the system’s optronics payload will ultimately be deployable with other types of payloads to provide the intelligence that armed forces need at every decisive moment.

Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems have come to play a crucial Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance role to guarantee tactical superiority in the conduct of modern air-land battlefield.

The Spy’Ranger 550 system can perform a wide range of missions, including support for combined arms battlegroup manoeuvres, support for offensive reconnaissance missions and operations against isolated pockets of resistance, threat characterisation, persistent surveillance of areas of interest, and surveillance of borders or linear critical infrastructure.

The system was designed for maximum robustness and ease of use. The Spy’C command and control software, for example, offers an intuitive user interface and a range of functionalities to simplify mission preparation and operation. The air vehicle itself is simple to assemble without special tools, and the system can be deployed by a two-person team in less than 20 minutes. With its robust, lightweight ramp, the launch system eliminates the need for training in hand-held launch techniques.

Jean-Pascal Arrou-Vignod, Vice-President of Thales’s optronics business, said: “Designed and manufactured in France, the Spy’Ranger 550 brings armed forces an array of innovations that provide real capability gains and make a decisive contribution to front-line intelligence-gathering and personnel safety.”