UAS100 long-range drone system boosted by EASA Design Verification Report milestone

Thales’ UAS100 receives EASA’s first full Design Verification Report, accelerating certification progress.

The UAS100 drone system is a game-changer for long-range surveillance, infrastructure monitoring, and risk detection. With its advanced avionics and reduced environmental impact, it offers a viable alternative to helicopters for many critical operations. Achieving EASA’s Design Verification Report is a major milestone in certifying this innovative UAV for safe and efficient operations.

UAS100: A scalable and versatile long-range drone system

Thales’ UAS100 drone, developed with Issoire Aviation, is designed for industrial, security, and infrastructure inspection missions. With two models—UAS100-10 (10 kg payload, 6-hour endurance) and UAS100-1 (1 kg payload, 2-hour endurance)—it offers flexibility for various operational needs while reducing fuel consumption 30-fold compared to helicopters.

Beyond its adaptability, the UAS100 benefits from an advanced hybrid propulsion system that enhances endurance while minimizing operational costs. Its lightweight composite airframe ensures optimal aerodynamics, improving range and stability even in challenging weather conditions. The drone’s modular architecture allows for easy payload integration, making it suitable for diverse mission profiles such as environmental monitoring, emergency response, and border surveillance.

Thales has equipped the UAS100 with state-of-the-art avionics, ensuring seamless communication with ground stations and air traffic management systems. This ensures compliance with regulatory frameworks while guaranteeing operational efficiency in both urban and remote environments. The system’s robust design ensures reliability, reducing maintenance needs and lifecycle costs.

ScaleFlyt avionics: Enabling secure UAV operations

The UAS100 integrates Thales’ ScaleFlyt solutions, including avionics, Remote ID, smart routing, and anti-jamming features. These technologies enhance mission safety and efficiency, ensuring compliance with evolving airspace regulations. The system’s successful certification under EASA’s SAIL III category validates its reliability for medium-risk drone operations.

ScaleFlyt’s digital platform enables real-time tracking, mission planning, and dynamic route optimization, reducing human workload and improving operational responsiveness. Its remote identification feature enhances airspace safety by allowing authorities to track and verify UAV operations. The built-in anti-jamming system mitigates risks posed by GPS signal disruptions, ensuring mission continuity in complex environments.

Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence enhances onboard decision-making, enabling autonomous adaptation to changing mission requirements. The ability to process real-time data enhances situational awareness, providing operators with crucial insights to optimize navigation and payload efficiency.

Incremental certification approach for safe UAV deployment

The UAS100’s certification roadmap follows a phased strategy, progressing from SAIL III to higher categories like SAIL IV and VI. This stepwise process ensures compliance with cybersecurity, structural integrity, and environmental standards. Thales’ collaboration with Centaurium UAS in Switzerland further supports validation through real-world flight tests.

As regulations surrounding UAV operations evolve, Thales remains committed to aligning its certification approach with emerging international standards. Future certification phases will integrate additional safety enhancements, such as redundant navigation systems, encrypted communication protocols, and adaptive collision avoidance capabilities.

The recent partnership with Centaurium UAS plays a crucial role in accelerating operational validation. By conducting extensive flight trials in Swiss airspace, Thales and Centaurium UAS are demonstrating the viability of long-range drone operations in controlled environments. These tests provide invaluable data to refine UAS100’s operational envelope, ensuring it meets the highest industry standards for safety and reliability.

With the UAS100-1 set to enter the market in 2025 and the UAS100-10 to follow in 2026, Thales is paving the way for a new era of long-range UAV missions, characterized by safety, efficiency, and reduced environmental impact.