Euronaval 2022: Survey Copter takes the wraps off Aliaca ER UAS

French unmanned aircraft system (UAS) house Survey Copter has unveiled an extended-range (ER) variant of its Aliaca mini-UAS offering double the range and endurance of the current Aliaca Evo air vehicle, the company announced ahead of the Euronaval 2022 exhibition in Paris.

Known as Aliaca ER, the new variant replaces the electric propulsion of its progenitor with a small thermal engine. Flight-testing and qualification activity has already been undertaken, according to the manufacturer.

Survey Copter, a subsidiary of Airbus Defence and Space, developed the original Aliaca Evo UAS to meet requirements for an organic mini unmanned aerial vehicle able to contribute to maritime surveillance, pollution monitoring, and search-and-rescue tasks. The system was ordered by the Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) in late 2020 to meet the French Navy’s Système de Mini Drones aériens embarqués pour la Marine (SMDM) requirement.