Spy’Ranger contact drones, an unrivalled operational experience
Drones are not a recent technology. French armies have used them for some sixty years in various theaters of operation. In current conflicts, whether in Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine or Mali during the French operation Barkhane, drones, and in particular contact drones, have demonstrated their decisive character.
What are contact UAVs ?
Used "as close as possible" to the enemy by operators in the various armed forces (Air, Land or Sea), contact drones cover micro UAVs, mini UAVs and small UAVs capable of operating within a few kilometers to over 100 kilometers and weighing between 500 grams and 150 kilos. In the wide criteria of drone warfare requirements, Thales is positioned in contact drones
Contact UAVs are decisive in protecting forces engaged in contact, who need to be illuminated, informed and supported. Large tactical drones cannot provide the agility that combatants need on the front line to act without delay in rapidly changing combat scenarios. The versality, ubiquity and agility of contact drones provide a decisive advantage. But for smaller drones to deliver their full potential, they must be integrated with other means of air/land combat. At Thales we have the ability to develop new systems with collective intelligence. Leveraging in our experience in drones, UAS management systems, surveillance, and aerial operations but also air defence, we are shaping solutions to really integrate contact drones in the “Air-Land Combat bubble” providing forces with the operational capabilities needed for today or tomorrow’s conflicts.
Contact drones are decisive equipment for OODA loop acceleration
Spy'Ranger contact UAV systems, developed by Thales, offer a concentration of the most innovative technologies available on the market.
Spy'Ranger UAVs are used for multi-domain intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance and protection missions. They are used by the armed forces and security forces of several countries, including the French Army (SMDR programme).
Interoperable with intelligence and artillery systems, Spy'Ranger drones have become the eyes and ears of armed forces in the collaborative combat of the future. They enable forces to accelerate the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) decision loop, i.e. to detect the adversary, anticipate his actions and act before he does.
Spy’Ranger UAV systems are ready for high-intensity combat
High-intensity warfare is characterized by unprecedented violence, significantly increasing the stress levels of combatants and reducing their cognitive abilities. Our systems offer AI-based 'hyper-assistants' to enable combatants to understand the situation faster than the enemy.
Jamming of communications and GNSS signals is systematically used. That’s why the systems we offer are equipped with the latest innovations in communications, navigation and positioning to be able to survive in the most contested environments.
Operational superiority in high-intensity combat is the result of a combination of manoeuvres involving dismounted and embarked units supported by contact UAVs and associated loitering munitions (LMs) engaged individually or in packs.
Spy’Ranger UAVs have an unrivalled operational experience
The Spy'Ranger fixed wing contact drones have proved their worth in combat. As part of the French SMDR (Systèmes de Mini-Drones de Reconnaissance) programme, the Spy'Ranger 330s have carried out numerous missions alongside French forces since the end of 2020, contributing to the success of military operations and protecting soldiers during the French Barkhane operation in Mali.
With more than 2,000 flights and over 2,000 flying hours in overseas operations, the SMDR has accumulated unrivalled experience. After a period of learning and adaptation, the French army has gradually increased the SMDR's objectives, dedicating it to missions involving observation of enemy movements, surveillance of empty zones and routes, detection of enemy fire and Improvised explosive devices (IED), protection of convoys and disembarked combatants, day/night intelligence, BDA (Battle Damage Assessment) and the provision of coordinates for friendly fire guidance.
Thales expands its range of UAVs
Early 2024,Thales and French start'up Aeromapper joined their forces.
"We want to strengthen our drone portfolio, which is currently based on the Spy'Ranger family,” says Gilles Labit, head of Thales's Military Drones division and new Aeromapper CEO. This is “to meet the growing needs of the armed forces by being able to produce faster and more cheaply. The aim is to expand Thales's product range, from small quadcopter UAVs to light tactical UAV systems and remotely operated munitions. Noctua and Grizzly drones are now part of the Thales solutions portfolio, alongside the Spy'Ranger. "
With the merger of Thales and Aeromapper, Thales has strengthened its position as an integrator of the contact drone ecosystem and Aeromapper retains the capacity and speed of innovation that have made the company a recognized actor of the French BITD - Base Industrielle et Technologique Défense, while relying on the strength of Thales' export presence.