Sagem (Safran) recorded a new order at the end of December 2013 from French defence procurement agency DGA for five additional Sperwer tactical drones (including two on option), to be deployed by the French Army. These drones will be delivered in 2015.

The Sperwer tactical drone system was deployed in Afghanistan from 2003 to 2012 by three members of NATO: Canada, the Netherlands and France. In the French Army, the Sperwer tactical drones system is operated by the 61st Artillery Regiment, which successfully deployed it in this theatre from November 2008 to June 2012 for protection, intelligence and ground support missions.

Based on the company’s extensive experience with the Sperwer system, Sagem is now developing the Patroller^TM long-endurance tactical drone system to meet the French Army’s future needs, as well as for international markets.

Sagem offers the full range of inhouse technological capabilities needed to develop and produce a state-of-the-art drone system: gyro-stabilised day-night optronic sensors, inertial navigation, avionics, data links, the ground segment (control stations, image processing, mission planning and restitution, etc.), integration, flight certification and flight testing of systems and payloads, etc.

Sagem has produced over 25 complete tactical drone systems to date, and 150 aircraft for these systems.