Sagem has just successfully completed a new series of test flights of its long-endurance Patroller™ drone system, in a multi-sensor, multi-mission configuration.
Set up for coastal surveillance and homeland security missions, the Patroller drone carried the following systems and equipment for these tests:
- A new version of the Sagem Euroflir 350 gyrostabilized optronic pod, including an HDTV channel, third generation HD infrared channel and a laser rangefinder.
- An AIS (1) receiver, enabling the real-time monitoring of maritime traffic over a large zone.
- Distress beacon detector.
The 18 test flights in this series clearly demonstrated Patroller's ability to fuse information from different sensors, and to transmit them to a command & control center for coastal surveillance. This new capability is in addition to its ability to transmit video streams in the NATO Stanag 4609 standard, already developed by Sagem and deployed by the French army's SDTI Sperwer drones.
These tests also showed how easy it is to integrate new payloads in the Patroller mission system, and the complementary capabilities of the optronic and electronic sensors in developing tactical situations.
Patroller is a 1-ton class drone, based on an aircraft certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It incorporates technologies developed by Sagem for the Sperwer Mk II tactical drone system, and its operational experience in Afghanistan.
The modular design of Patroller enables it to be fitted with pod-mounted payloads for flights lasting from 20 to more than 30 hours, at a maximum altitude of 25,000 ft. Offering reasonable operating costs, it meets requirements for long-endurance surveillance for defense and homeland security forces, as well as interministerial missions.
1 – AIS (Automatic Identification System) provides the automated exchange of messages between ships via VHF radio, enabling ships and traffic monitoring centers to know the identity, status, position and route of ships in a defined navigation zone.
