Leonardo has triumphantly finished the initial phase of flight evaluations for its Falco Xplorer drone. The system is now prepared for the subsequent stage of the initiative, which will culminate in the certification of the largest unmanned aircraft ever created by the company.
In the realm of unmanned systems, the firm’s “Be Tomorrow 2030” strategy delineates its ambition to establish a preeminent role in Europe, with Leonardo possessing the essential technologies and acumen needed to provide a comprehensive unmanned solution encompassing the platform, sensors, mission systems, and ground control center. Additionally, Leonardo continues to bolster its standing in this market through involvement in numerous major international collaborative projects.
The Falco Xplorer is the first MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance)-class unmanned system to solely employ European technology. It is engineered to deliver continuous surveillance across extensive areas of interest and can accommodate multiple sensors with a combined weight of up to 350kg. The Xplorer is the latest addition to Leonardo’s Falco family of unmanned aerial systems, which also features the Falco Evo. The tactical-class Evo is utilized by various international clients and has amassed thousands of flight hours globally, including in civil airspace.
The recent flight evaluations and certification undertakings of the Falco Xplorer were conducted at the Trapani Birgi military airport in Sicily, assisted by the Italian Air Force’s 37°Stormo wing. During the flight evaluations, 37°Stormo delivered all vital airport services, including air traffic control, fire safety, and flight security. This ensured that the flight campaign was executed with complete safety and under compliance with industry regulations. The Falco Xplorer successfully performed all scheduled flights and completed a series of intricate functional assessments, validating the platform’s maturity. The aircraft’s performance across various flight envelope phases was also verified.
Leonardo is now set to advance with a second testing initiative which will be conducted under the auspices of the Directorate for Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness (DAAA). This will certify the Falco Xplorer’s ‘airworthiness’ in accordance with NATO standard STANAG 4671 and will comprise a sequence of progressively intricate flights. The system’s most sophisticated functionalities will be validated, alongside military authorities, including automatic takeoff and landing and satellite communications for operations beyond the line of sight. The Xplorer’s sensor configurations will likewise be evaluated. Entirely developed in-house, the foundational suite includes the firm’s LEOSS electro-optical turret, Gabbiano TS-80 UL multimode radar, an Automatic Identification System for maritime traffic observation, and the SAGE electronic intelligence solution. The Falco Xplorer employs Leonardo’s adaptable ATOS mission system, which features an open architecture to facilitate the incorporation of additional sensors, including those from external vendors.
Certification will permit the Falco Xplorer to operate over populated regions, significantly broadening its operational range and enabling it to assist in public safety and civil protection missions.
The Falco Xplorer is easily exportable. It is not confined by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and adheres to the standards for Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) class II. It has been meticulously crafted to offer strategic surveillance capabilities for both military and civilian clients and can be delivered either as a comprehensive system or as a service, efficiently managed and operated by Leonardo.
