Delta Drone unveils its first French civilian drone, fully compatible with the regulations for professional use.
France's leading designer and manufacturer of civil UAVs inaugurates its first UAV flight at the SAM (Salon de l'Aménagement en Montagne/Grenoble, until April 27). With the aim of providing the best possible assistance to professionals in high-risk tasks, Delta Drone, whose vocation is to organize the entire sector of an emerging market in France, produces highly secure machines thanks to on-board technology. And this, whether for operations of supervision of installations, terrain measurements, snow cover, victim location or assistance in avalanche triggers.
"With the entire French 100% design and manufacturing chain, we are now able to offer the first UAV for civilian use that is compatible with French regulations. Our civil UAVs are part of a sustainable development logic and our ambition is to provide an answer to the problems related to the safety of goods and people, in order to limit human risks and increase performance. The assistance of people in danger and the preservation of the environment are our leitmotivs" underlines Frédéric Serre, Chairman and CEO of the company.
To launch this innovation, the young company joined forces with the Savoyard group Montagne neige et développement (MND)The company has 11 % of its own capital and specialises in avalanche prevention, safety equipment for ski areas and artificial snow. Together, they will market and operate two types of flying machines. "The first is a kind of model plane in permanent motion; the other resembles a helicopter, it is capable of hovering and landing on the ground," says Roland Didier, MND's managing director.
The real technology is underneath the device: equipped with an infrared camera, a remote eye or a detector as required, the UAV will carry out measurement and location missions, which are sometimes delicate or even risky for humans.
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Development axes in strict compliance with regulations
Civilian UAVs are subject to strict regulations in France. This is why Delta Drone is committed to developing its aircraft in close collaboration with the DGAC (French Civil Aviation Authority). Indeed, civil UAVs appear as an obvious alternative for geographically inaccessible areas or areas presenting risks to humans (polluted environments) and the elimination of human risk thanks to the absence of on-board crew.
A development solely oriented towards business activities
Business issues are addressed in close consultation with future users. Innovation becomes participative and is at the centre of the organisation. The invention of this new profession is based on permanent exchanges in the same place, between engineers, researchers, technicians, workers, students, field workers and customers.
It is then that only an operator embodied by a company employee will be able to carry out missions thanks to a preliminary training of a few days.
Delta Drone goes even further
The UAV is only part of the solution, the marketing of services includes the processing of information collected by the on-board sensors to deliver ready-to-use results. For example, the Drone 2.0 dedicated to the thermographic diagnosis of buildings will automatically deliver a formatted form identical to the one already used by diagnostic professionals.
Marketing is carried out exclusively by distribution companies dedicated to a specific business or geographical area.
Mountains, mines and quarries: first target markets
Whether in tourist and mountain sports resorts for avalanche search, ski lift maintenance or topographical studies, each machine is dedicated to each use and profession. The same is true for open-cast mines and quarries: periodic measurement of the volumes produced, location of the machines, studies, topographical surveys, etc.
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Eventually, several sectors and markets could also be interested: thermal diagnostics and studies, inspection and maintenance of dams and engineering structures, energy and transport infrastructures & networks, precision agriculture, etc.
Civilian UAVs are subject to strict regulations in France.
Delta Drone deploys a specific industrial tool to meet the requirements of French regulations. The UAVs developed by this company scrupulously comply with these new regulations; they are light, weighing less than 4 kg, and highly secure thanks to their state-of-the-art on-board electronics, which make it possible to prevent any failure or incident without risk to the environment and human beings.
In accordance with the regulations, however, these professionals will have to be trained and certified as UAV operators.
About Delta Drone
Delta Drone designs and manufactures civil UAVs, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), designed to assist professionals in high-risk tasks (mountain, industry, leisure, etc.). Equipped with state-of-the-art electronics from exclusively French scientific laboratories, these civil UAVs will be made available for missions that cannot be carried out from the ground. Experts in on-board electronic systems, the founders have been working for several years on the design and technical development of UAVs for civilian use. Delta Drone aims to organize the UAV industry on the French market.
Delta Drone directs all its developments to increase the safety of people and property, assistance in dangerous situations and respect and preservation of the environment. In addition to industrial and technological partners, Delta Drone has developed close collaborations with the CEA, INRIA, etc.
Civil UAVs are subject to strict regulations in France, Delta Drone deploys a specific industrial tool to meet the requirements of French regulations. Commercialization will begin in early 2013. The first uses will be in the field of mountain, mining & quarries (search for people under avalanche, maintenance of ski lifts, topographical studies, etc.).
Delta Drone is based in Grenoble, France. Its President is Frédéric Serre. Delta Drone's share capital amounts to €1 million with a first profitable year. For more information : www.deltadrone.com
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