Expected Impact:
The outcome is expected to contribute to:
- Reduce dependencies on non-European suppliers by boosting the EDTIB and promoting the development of a European solution.
- The emergence of a commonly agreed EU standard for small UAS to allow a wider European application, interchangeability of sensors and modules, together with adaptability to various types of missions.
- Define commonly agreed EU defence requirements for small UAS.
- Reduce the current dependencies on non-European UAS suppliers.
- Reduce the fragmentation of UAS fleets in European armed forces and reduce the procurement and maintenance costs through economies of scale.
- Promote the interoperability between European armed forces.
- Foster an active European market for the development of interoperable and interchangeable sensors.
- Exploit the synergy with other than defence applications.
Despite the extensive use of COTS UAS in recent conflicts and continued technological development, these systems serve the purpose of rapid and relatively low-cost deployment of assets and effectors in times of extreme need. As with all such systems, there is a lack of key requirements and an overall development and sustainability frameworks that meets the real needs of defence users at the tactical level in the EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries. It should be noted, however, that large UAS are always challenging to
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