Thales-Skydweller Will Jointly Develop Zero-Carbon, AI Powered Aerial Surveillance Systems: Paris, France / Oklahoma City, USA – In a significant collaboration aimed at transforming aerial surveillance capabilities, Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies, and Skydweller Aero Inc., an innovative transatlantic aerospace company, have announced a strengthened partnership. The alliance will focus on developing a novel aerial surveillance solution that combines Skydweller’s extreme endurance, zero-carbon footprint unmanned aircraft with Thales’ SMART RADAR technology, enhanced by Artificial Intelligence.
The core of this innovative solution involves equipping Skydweller’s unmanned solar-powered aircraft, known as MAPS (medium-altitude pseudo-satellite), with the Thales AirMaster S radar system. This radar, featuring advanced AI capabilities, is designed for optimal and autonomous adaptation to diverse flight conditions, promising a new standard in ultra-persistent maritime surveillance.
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Skydweller MAPS Aircraft: Revolutionizing Persistent Surveillance
The Skydweller MAPS aircraft is an autonomous platform notable for its exceptional payload carrying capacity, up to 400kg, which distinguishes it from other solar-powered aircraft that typically lack significant payload capability. Capable of continuous flights spanning weeks to months, the MAPS platform is designed to overcome limitations of distance without emitting carbon, offering what the companies describe as almost continuous maritime coverage. This extended endurance is expected to broaden the scope of surveillance missions requiring both persistence and operational performance.
The integration of Thales’ AirMaster S radar system into the MAPS platform brings advanced surveillance intelligence to the solution. Operating in X-band with AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array Antenna) technology, the AirMaster S radar is designed to provide immediate and accurate assessments of land, air, or sea situations. Its intelligent functions, previously proven on the ATL2 maritime patrol aircraft, include auto-tuning capabilities that adapt to flight and mission conditions, ideally suiting the Skydweller drone’s long endurance.
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Skydweller Aero’s Aircraft Autonomous System.
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A key feature of the AirMaster S radar is its AI-based target classification. This capability allows the system to identify points of interest efficiently from large volumes of data, thereby reducing the amount of information that needs to be transmitted to ground stations.
The ability of the MAPS Skydweller solar-powered unmanned aircraft to maintain a permanent presence in sensitive areas for weeks or months at a time is expected to complement existing surveillance resources such as satellites, other types of drones, and manned aircraft. This allows for more flexible reallocation of other assets based on mission needs.
Sébastien Renouard, Chief Commercial Officer for Europe, Middle East & Africa at Skydweller, emphasized the paradigm-shifting potential of the collaboration. “The combination of Thales’ AirMaster S Smart radar with the MAPS Skydweller will make it possible to change the paradigm for surveillance missions, by offering a unique solution to current sovereignty challenges. We welcome this alliance and think it will be greater to security to NATO, the EU, and allies of western democracies,” Renouard stated.
Philippe Duhamel, Executive Vice President, Defense Mission Systems at Thales, highlighted the technological breakthrough. “We are delighted with this collaboration, which demonstrates the value of our Artificial Intelligence capabilities in the field of radars, which, combined with the innovative Skydweller MAPS, represent a real technological breakthrough for surveillance missions,” Duhamel commented.
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Skydweller Aero’s Aircraft.
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Skydweller Aero Inc.
Skydweller Aero Inc. is a transatlantic aerospace company focused on developing and manufacturing solar-powered aircraft for perpetual flight with substantial payload capacity. Its autonomous aircraft, constructed from carbon fiber with a wingspan larger than a Boeing 747, are intended for long-duration missions such as continuous theatre coverage, exclusive economic zone surveillance, and detection of illicit activities at sea. Powered by solar energy, Skydwellers are designed for cost-effective operation and maintenance with a zero-carbon footprint. The company is primarily backed by venture capital and private equity, with global and U.S. headquarters in Oklahoma City and European offices in Spain.
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Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies across Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. With a portfolio of innovative products and services, the Group addresses critical challenges related to sovereignty, security, sustainability, and inclusion. Thales invests over €4 billion annually in Research & Development, focusing on key areas for critical environments, including Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum, and cloud technologies. The Group employs over 83,000 individuals across 68 countries and reported sales of €20.6 billion in 2024.
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