French DGA orders 35 additional DRAC mini-UAV’s
By (FINN) Frontier India News Network | July 10th, 2008 | Category: Defence Products Manufacturing Companies, Military News - Europe | 1 Comment »
The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has ordered 35 additional DRAC (Drone de Renseignement Au Contact) mini-UAV close-range reconnaissance systems for the French Armed Forces from EADS Defence & Security (DS).The new orders were notified on 30 June, after delivering 25 Drac systems to DGA. Operator training which was completed at the end of June, will enable the French Armed Forces to deploy the 25 operational DRAC systems in a very short term. Even though the DRAC technology is extremely advanced, the system is very simple to use, which will enable it to be brought into service with the Armed Forces in a fast and cost-efficient manner.
DRAC is based on the TRACKER system, developed in partnership between EADS Defence & Security (DS) and SurveyCopter, which is providing the aerial vehicle and the cameras. DS has specially developed a ground station as well as a high-speed secure data link, which gives the system a genuine long-range capability, even in severe weather conditions. The DRAC system consists of two UAVs equipped with payloads, a compact two-unit ground station and an automatic tracking antenna. It can be packed into two personal rucksacks, thus allowing entirely autonomous missions. The DRAC is equipped with cameras visible and infrared communicating with a compact ground station, data link through an antenna. Equipped with a GPS, DRAC can operate up to 90 minutes and 10 km on the battlefield, day and night, while sending, in real time, images and information collected. TRACKER is one of the mini-UAV systems that offers the best performance available on the market.
Following its industrial qualification achieved in 2007, the DRAC system has received the airworthiness certificate of the French authorities. The Drac/Tracker system is destined for front line army units with the aim of multiplying their intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities. Earlier 160 units were ordered.
Numerous foreign customers have already expressed a strong interest in this system and a number of export systems have been delivered recently.
Good afternoon! Thank you so much to Frontier India for providing so interesting information. I am just wondering whether the European Defence Agency (EDA), which is a managing organ as far as defence and technology procurement is concerned, was involved in the ordering. If someone knows, please let me know how it occurred. I would like to guess how much clout this agency has in the European affairs.
Thanks!