Atlante, an unmanned aerial vehicle developed by the European defense group Cassidian has made its first flight at Rozas airfield, near Lugo, Spain last week. Developing the Atlante UAS under a collaborative industrial participation with Spanish Centre for Industrial Technological Development (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial – CDTI) acting as industry program manager. Cassidian is participating in the program as the driving force behind the industrial model, with three high-tech venture capital partners (Indra, GMV and Aries). More than 140 Spanish subcontractors and suppliers are also cooperating in the program, generating more than 500 skilled jobs.
Atlante, designed to address the tactical UAS mission profile is also capable of carrying out civil and homeland security applications, including surveillance over urban and rural areas, search and rescue, monitoring natural disaster areas and forest fires, etc. At its weight category it is designed to operate from prepared runways or being launched from catapults. According to Cassidian, the fact that this air vehicle was designed according to the standards used for manned aircraft, gives it unique features in terms of airworthiness and certification that will allow it to operate in civil airspace. “We have the best team needed to ensure that Atlante is a success in the export market in the coming years” Pilar Albiac Murillo, COO of Cassidian and CEO of Cassidian Spain commented on the maiden flight.
