ECA Group teams with DCNS to navalize its IT180 drone

French ECA Group has teamed with Naval Group (formerly known as DCNS) to prepare its IT180 VTOL drone for integration on ships.

The two companies already collaborated with the IT180 at the end of May 2017.

ECA Group participated in the second edition of “Naval Innovation Days” in Ollioules (South of France), an event organized by DCNS bringing together its customers and SME/ETI partners. During the event, the IT180 took part in an interception scenario in the Toulon harbor.

The IT180 has an autonomy of up to three hours giving it a range of 30 nautical miles. It can carry payloads up to 5kg (IR, video, PIR). This aerial drone can be used to detect floating drifting mines in front of an expeditionary naval force in transit. Connected by umbilical to the mother ship, it can be used as trans-horizon radio relay with the other aerial drones and the naval surface drones implemented by the same ship, as explained by ECA.