The French defense procurement agency has given the Spy’Ranger 330 mini-drone its first type certification, guaranteeing the system’s airworthiness and readiness for operational deployment.
Type certification refers to approval of the aircraft design and parts, including propellers, engines, and control stations, signifying that the system complies with airworthiness, noise, fuel venting, and exhaust emissions standards.
The recently awarded certification will enable the French Army to proceed with operator instruction and training with the reconnaissance system.
The drone can now be deployed in overseas theaters of operations without requiring specific flight approvals.
The Spy’Ranger 330
Developed by French aerospace firm Thales, the Spy’Ranger 330 is designed to perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
It can fly for nearly three hours within 30 kilometers (18 miles).
Key components of the system include a multi-sensor high-definition optronics payload, secure high-speed datalink, a high-performance imaging system, and the Spy’C command-and-control system.
According to Thales, the Spy’Ranger 330 can operate in demanding environmental conditions.
“These mini-UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) systems are part of our strategy to augment key functions including intelligence capabilities,” French Minister for the Armed Forces Florence Parly said. “They are agile, efficient, and easy to use, and their arrival is excellent news for the French forces.”