Aurora Flight Sciences announced that the Swiss Department of Defence has become the first customer for the Centaur optionallypiloted aircraft (OPA).

Armasuisse, an official procurement agency of the Swiss Department of Defence with its own flight test centre, will use the Centaur as a flying test bed for new sensors and sense and avoid equipment required to operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

Switzerland is a European leader in unmanned aircraft operations in their complex and dense airspace. The Swiss Air Force has been operating UAS for more than 10 years in the NAS, during day time operations with a chase plane in non-segregated airspace and during night time operations without a chase plane.

The aircraft will be based in Emmen, Switzerland. “Reliability, safety, efficiency and low noise are essential features of Centaur,” said Armasuisse Programme Manager Roland Ledermann. “This hybrid aircraft is uniquely suited to the needs of customers who seek the advantages of a remotely piloted aircraft but must also operate in crowded skies.”