Jay Clemens
Thales has been selected to supply up to 210 mini unmanned aerial vehicles to France beginning next year in an effort to help the country’s armed forces access imagery in real time.
France’s defense procurement agency asked the company to provide Spy’Ranger reconnaissance UAVs, ground equipment and related technical support to the French military, Thales said Thursday.
Jean-Pascal Arrou-Vignod, vice president of Thales’ optronics subsidiary, said that French troops will use Spy’Ranger to gather frontline intelligence and stay safe when they conduct missions.
He added the company developed the platform in collaboration with several French small and medium companies.
Spy’Ranger is designed to operate in a standalone mode and connect to a command, control, computers, communications and intelligence system.
The UAVÂ is transportable in a backpack and features a gyrostabilized multi-sensor optronic payload, a tactical data link, command and control software and a mobile and digital support management system.
