Spy Ranger 330, The Ability of French Military Reconnaissance Drones
The emergence of reconnaissance drones with various specifications is like mushrooms in the rainy season.
However, of the various types of reconnaissance drones that are produced, not all of them get the chance to be called battle-proven.
Well, one of the reconnaissance (mini) drones that falls into the battle-proven category is the Spy Ranger 330.
The Spy Ranger 330 is none other than a mini drone that has been used by the French Army since 2020, and so far it has been actively operated by French infantry, especially since this drone is massively used by France in missions in Africa, including in support of combat operations missions.
It can be said that the deployment of French military forces in Africa was able to run effectively and efficiently, one of which is thanks to the advantages of early detection and the data obtained from the Spy Ranger drone.
Spy Ranger was developed by Thales with an emphasis on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
So when asked whether this drone could be converted into a kamikaze drone, the answer from Thales was, "Spy Ranger 330 was not prepared for this mission."
The main components of the Spy Ranger 330 drone include a payload of multi-sensor high-definition infrared optronics, a secure high-speed datalink, a high-performance imaging system, and a Spy'C command-and-control system.
All of which are mounted on a Spy'Ball gyrostabilized gimbal.
According to Thales, the Spy Ranger 330 can operate in extreme environmental conditions, from high to low temperatures, as proven by the successful operation of the Spy Ranger 330 in the hot and dusty fields of Africa.
According to the specifications, the Spy Ranger 330 has a wingspan of 4 meters and weighs only 15 kg.
Powered by an electric engine, the Spy Ranger 330 can fly autonomously in 30 minutes with an operating range of 30 km.
Speaking of speed, the Spy Ranger 330 can accelerate in the range of 65 to 90 kilometers per hour.
The Spy Ranger 330 adopts an innovative architecture with materials made of carbon fiber for light weight and added robustness.
The Spy Ranger has a low engine noise level; at a drone height of 50 meters, it is almost impossible to hear the sound from this drone.
Plus, the small design makes it difficult to target this drone. In general, the Spy Ranger 330 is effective for flying at an altitude of 500–1000 meters above sea level.
Spy Ranger is launched using a simple launcher system that is easy to disassemble.
Meanwhile, for the landing, the Spy Ranger adopts the belly landing technique.
In a demo at Milly La Forret, it was shown that the drone can be assembled from two bags in less than 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, to operate the Spy Ranger 330, only two crew members are needed.
Apart from the Spy Ranger 330, Thales is currently developing the Spy Ranger 550 variant.
This latest variant weighs 25 kg, is capable of flying for 5 hours, and flies for 50 km.
