Thales Secures First EASA Design Verification Report for Light UAS, Boosting Long-Range Drone Operations

(IN BRIEF) Thales has become the first company to receive a Design Verification Report (DVR) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for Light UAS SAIL III, using its ScaleFlyt avionics in the Aeromapper AVEM 300 CERBERE UAV. This milestone advances Thales’ capabilities in long-range drone operations for surveillance and detection, and it supports the certification of the Thales UAS100 drone. This achievement highlights Thales’ expertise in avionics and innovation, bolstering its position in the civil drone market and enabling safer drone operations under medium-risk conditions.

(PRESS RELEASE) LA DÉFENSE, 24-Jun-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Thales (EPA: HO), a French multinational company active in the aerospace, defence, transportation and security markets, announces that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has introduced the Design Verification Report (DVR) process to grant Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) design approvals for medium-risk drone operations, specifically under Specific Assurance Integrity Level (SAIL) III and IV. Thales has become the first company to receive a full DVR for Light UAS SAIL III, using its ScaleFlyt avionics solution integrated into the Aeromapper AVEM 300 CERBERE UAV. This milestone positions Thales at the forefront of long-range drone operations for surveillance, detection, and alert, advancing towards the certification of its UAS100 drone.

Thales’ achievement marks the first full DVR granted by EASA, reflecting the new process established by the agency in April 2021 to ensure safe drone operations. This milestone bolsters Thales’ standing in the emerging civil drone market and represents significant progress toward certifying the Thales UAS100 under stringent conditions.

Drone operations present substantial opportunities for new missions with reduced environmental and economic impacts. However, they also pose risks to air traffic and ground installations. EASA has implemented rules based on a risk-based and proportional approach to guarantee the safety of drone operations. The Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) defines the applicable SAIL and necessitates a DVR from the agency.

Thales, in collaboration with Aeromapper and ONERA, is the first to receive a DVR from EASA for a complete drone system operating under SAIL III conditions. This achievement underscores Thales’ expertise in avionics, certification, and innovation for civil UAVs, marking a critical step toward deploying long-range drone operations in Europe.

This accomplishment is a result of Thales’ close cooperation with EASA to establish and validate compliance with the Light UAS Special Condition. The solution features Thales’ ScaleFlyt avionics, integrated into the AVEM 300 UAV with the CERBERE safety-critical autopilot from Aeromapper. ONERA conducted the safety analysis through the PHYDIAS R&T project, financed by the French Authority DGAC.

Marc Duval-Destin, VP of Strategy, Product Policy, and Innovation for Flight Avionics at Thales, expressed pride in this achievement, noting that it paves the way for broader secure long-range drone operations. The next goal is achieving DVR SAIL IV for the Thales UAS100, benefiting from the AVEM 300’s proven triplex avionics and CERBERE. Aeromapper’s recent partnership with Thales’ land and air systems activities further strengthens this effort.

The Thales UAS100, secured by ScaleFlyt avionics solutions, is progressing towards certification with ongoing flight tests. This effort includes cooperation with Centaurium UAS, a subsidiary of Centaurium Group, which plans to provide drone services to Swiss authorities and industry players.

For more information about the Thales UAS100 long-range drone system and the EASA Design Verification Report milestone, please contact Thales.

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies specialized in three business domains: Defence & Security, Aeronautics & Space, and Cybersecurity & Digital identity.

It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.

The Group invests close to €4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, cloud technologies and 6G.

Thales has close to 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2023, the Group generated sales of €18.4 billion.

Media contacts:

Thales, Media Relations Ground Transportation
+33 (0)6 25 15 72 93 chrystelle.dugimont@thalesgroup.com

Alice Pruvot, Head of Media Relations, Aeronautics & Defense
+33 7 70 27 11 37 alice.pruvot@thalesgroup.com

SOURCE: Thales

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