EASA awarded Thales the first-ever complete DVR to operate SAIL III, a light unmanned aerial vehicle, in a medium-risk situation. The Agency implemented a DVR procedure in April 2021 with the goal of guaranteeing safe drone operations. The Group’s position in the growing civil drone industry is strengthened by this debut, which also marks a step closer to the Thales UAS100’s certification under the most extreme circumstances.
Drone operations offer a great chance to express new tasks and operate at fewer costs to the environment and the economy. Uncontrolled flying items, however, might endanger not just people and property on the ground but also air traffic. According to a report, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has established a set of guidelines to ensure the security of drone operations.
The Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) establishes if an agency-provided Design Verification Report (DVR) is required and allows for the definition of the relevant Specific Assurance Integrity Level (SAIL).
The first business to receive a DVR for a full drone system that allows operations in SAIL III circumstances is Thales, in collaboration with Aeromapper and ONERA. In addition to showcasing the Group’s avionics and certification expertise and innovative capacity at the service of civil UAVs, the deployment of long-range drone operations in Europe is a significant step forward.
“We are especially pleased to have accomplished this first since it opens the door for more widespread use of safe, long-range drone operations. Reaching DVR SAIL IV for the Thales UAS100 will be the next significant milestone for governmental and civil UAV operations. Since Aeromapper recently partnered with Thales’ land and air systems activities, the defence mission will benefit from AVEM 300 proven triplex avionics,” CERBERE. Marc Duval-Destin, VP Strategy, Product Policy and Innovation, Flight Avionics activities, Thales.