Safran Patroller

The Patroller is a French medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle developed and manufactured by Safran Electronics & Defense (formerly by SAGEM). The airframe is based on the Stemme ASP S15 motor glider.

Patroller
Safran Patroller displayed at the Salon du Bourget (Paris, 2019)
Role	MALE UAV
National origin	France
Manufacturer	Safran Electronics & Defense
Designer	Safran Electronics & Defense Stemme
First flight	10 June 2009
Introduction	2023
Primary user	French Army
Developed from	Stemme ASP S15

The first flight was in June 2009 at Kemijarvi in Finland; it was shown at the 2009 Paris Air Show.^[1] The Patroller is a Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (MALE) by the definition of the NATO.^[2]

It completed another series of flight tests in July 2010, which demonstrated it is capable of missions lasting 20–30 hours; it can carry a 250 kg payload (including 80 kg under each wing). ^[3] The Patroller will carry out imaging and surveillance trials in southern France, detecting forest fires.^[4]

The Patroller uses the same ground control station as Sperwer II. A Ku-band datalink is used; range is limited to 200 km (line of sight).^[1]

Safran Electronics & Defense and Egyptian aircraft factory AOI have signed a collaboration agreement concerning the Patroller UAV. AOI-Aircraft Factory could handle final assembly of the drones and will develop a dedicated training center in Egypt to train staff for the operation and maintenance of the drone systems.^[5]

The cost of the first 14 Patrollers for the French Army in 2016, including 12 years maintenance, was €300 million.^[6]

Operators

 France

French Army: 5 systems (28 drones) planned and to be delivered by 2030; first system (5 drones) to be delivered in summer 2023. Initial pre-production example was handed over to the French Army’s 61st Artillery Regiment in May 2023 for evaluation and familiarisation.

 Greece

Hellenic Army: First export customer; 4 drones and 3 ground stations ordered in June 2023 to complement or replace the SAGEM Sperwer.^[7][8]

Specifications

Data from ^[9]

General characteristics

• Crew: 0
• Length: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 18 m (59 ft 1 in)
• Powerplant: 1 × liquid air cooled turbocharged Rotax 914F

Performance

• Maximum speed: 314 km/h (195 mph, 169 kn)
• Cruise speed: 92 km/h (57 mph, 50 kn)
• Endurance: 30 hours
• Service ceiling: 7,620 m (25,000 ft)
• Takeoff distance: 250 m (820 ft)

Avionics

• Euroflir 410 EO and IR sensors