Spy'Ranger: safety, duality and scalability for seizing the tactical supremacy now and in the future battle

France has placed a major order for the Spy'Ranger mini-UAV system from Thales to help front-line units gain a tactical edge in both urban areas and open terrain. The decision is a key capability milestone for the latest generation of mini unmanned air systems and heralds a new era in intelligence gathering by forward units.

All the parties in the Syrian conflict have reportedly used inexpensive commercial UAVs to spy on each other's positions. Many were lost. Others proved counterproductive because they gave away the positions of their users, and none were equipped to transmit imagery in real time. Worse, they could not navigate autonomously so they needed to remain in the line of sight at all times, putting operators at huge risk. But easy-to-deploy unmanned systems, and the immediate over-the-hill surveillance capability they provide, have changed the face of close combat operations for ever.
 

 
But these systems come with a hefty price tag and a no less hefty logistics footprint. As a result, they are operated at theatre and tactical high levels of command along the main axes of the units they serve. They fly missions that need to be planned several days in advance so that air operations can be coordinated effectively. As a result, they cannot provide the agility that battlegroups require or the ability to act at very short notice in fast-moving combat situations.
 
Operated directly on the front line, the Spy'Ranger mini-UAS from Thales was selected by France in December 2016. It significantly enhances the ability of troops on the front line to gather real time intelligence to protect the force and assess the enemy pattern of life and positions, which can then be neutralised. Front-line units equipped with the Spy'Ranger system are much more versatile, better protected and able to assess the situation in real time in order to maximise tactical efficiency.
 

Robust, discreet and easy to deploy

Building on detailed analysis of recent lessons learned with in-service mini UAS, the air vehicle developed under Thales specifications by Aviation Design combines excellent levels of robustness, discretion and aerodynamic performance. With endurance of up to 3 hours, it is suitable for deep reconnaissance or forward intelligence missions at a range of 30 km.
 
It was designed from the outset for easy deployment and operation. Intended for front-line troops as well as security services, border patrols and critical infrastructure providers, the Spy'Ranger system is carried in two backpacks and launched with a very lightweight and easy-to-assemble carbon ramp. The whole system can be assembled and in the air in less than 12 minutes. Take-off and landing profiles are optimised for areas where space is at a premium, while an absorbent belly pad shields the airframe from shock to protect key components and reduce the risk of damage.
 
Above all, the main device — called Spy'Ball — is the best gyrostabilised “eyes” in the world in this category of payloads coupled with the latest secure, high-rate datalink module to stream high-definition electro-optical and infrared video and still pictures.
 

Autonomous flight and collaborative combat 

The air vehicle itself is very simple to fly. It offers a high degree of autonomy and no special qualifications are needed to operate it. Waypoints are entered on the portable ground station in a matter of seconds; then the aircraft flies itself, avoiding obstacles and terrain features in real time. If the communication link with the ground is lost, the aircraft automatically returns to a pre-programmed location and lands with no human intervention.
 
Importantly, up to two drones can communicate with the system's Spy'C ground station, which has already been tested in combat with the French forces in Afghanistan and Mali. The Spy’C provides troops on the front line with real-time imagery that complies with NATO image and video standards for after-action processing by C4I systems.
 
Another key advantage of the Spy'C ground station is its interoperability with the latest optronic systems. Using the high-performance laser rangefinder of the Sophie multifunction camera, for example, coordinates can be sent automatically to the Spy’C geographic information system interface using any sort of radio set and used as a new waypoint for the UAS and further investigation by the operator.
 
One major breakthrough is that Spy'Ranger locates targets with such accuracy that the coordinates can be used directly by artillery systems. This capability brings added momentum to the concept of collaborative combat, with Spy’Ranger used as the “flying eyes of the forward observer” to provide target coordinates, adjust artillery fire and subsequently conduct battle damage assessment.