Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Aerospace
  • /
  • Thales's I-Master radar completes flight trials

Aerospace

Thales's I-Master radar completes flight trials

Thales's I-Master radar system has successfully completed flight trials onboard a Diamond DA42MPP GUARDIAN aircraft.

Conducted in partnership with Diamond Aircraft Industries and Diamond Airborne Sensing at its facility in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, the week-long trial covered different radar modes at a range of altitudes and speeds. The demonstration included using the onboard payload to transmit full-resolution radar images and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) footage via a high-bandwidth line-of-sight data link to controllers at the ground station.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025

The DA42MPP NG, with its de-icing TKS protection, is all-weather capable, enabling flight operations to use the Thales I-Master radar to detect targets; these can then be identified by the EO/IR turret, which is also mounted on the platform, before the footage is sent back to headquarters via line-of-sight datalink.

I-Master is an all weather, lightweight payload that is easily installed in a standard 15-inch gimbal outline. Its high-performance radar offers two modes: Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery.

GMTI is used to detect moving targets – from high-speed vehicles to targets moving at a walking pace. Its 360-degree capability can scan a wide area, such as deserts, savannah, borders and road networks, and its use over time can help to build a ‘pattern of life’ situation awareness.

SAR is used for long-range stand-off image collection – both high-resolution spotlight pictures and extended ‘strip maps’. It is deployed as an alternative to gathering images by camera; its long range enables aircraft to avoid dangerous situations, and it is unaffected by severe weather conditions or lack of light.

Advertisement
Teledyne

The Diamond DA42MPP (Multi-Purpose Platform) GUARDIAN is an innovative twin-engine aircraft specially designed for carrying interchangeable multi-function sensor equipment. The aircraft used during the I-Master trial was configured for an airborne mission capability of 7-9 hours with a two-man crew.

Eddie Awang, Vice President of Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance at Thales UK, said, “I-Master delivers an advanced capability in a lightweight payload that is easy to install or swap between aircraft. We believe that the combination with the Diamond DA42 is particularly attractive, and meets an increased need for cost-effective, light, manned ISR platforms. It offers a complete solution for military, paramilitary, homeland security and border surveillance, pipeline security and incident management.”

“It was impressive to see how quickly and easily the I-Master could be integrated into the DA42MPP GUARDIAN,” said Markus Fischer, Sales Director for Diamond Airborne Sensing. “The ease of installation, in combination with the outstanding performance demonstrated in the field trials, opens up huge new sales opportunities for Diamond. It is now no longer necessary to operate an expensive and cost-inefficient heavy platform to gather data from different sensors.”
 

Viasat test boosts business jet in-flight connectivity

Aerospace

Viasat test boosts business jet in-flight connectivity

8 July 2025

Viasat today announced a milestone for its JetXP business aviation in-flight broadband service, following recent test flights that successfully connected the Global Aero Terminal (GAT) 5510 to a ViaSat-3 satellite for the first time.

ST Engineering Antycip’s Merlin MP521 advances student innovation

Aerospace

ST Engineering Antycip’s Merlin MP521 advances student innovation

8 July 2025

Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced major student and faculty achievements resulting from the use of ST Engineering Antycip’s Merlin MP521 Flight Simulator, which provides hands-on experience in aircraft design and performance evaluation, directly contributing to a growing body of student-led research and academic ...

Birmingham Airport sees busiest ever June

Aerospace

Birmingham Airport sees busiest ever June

8 July 2025

Birmingham Airport (BHX) has had its busiest June ever, with a record 1,360,957 passengers travelling through the airport last month.

Advanced Engineering 2025 extends additives and composites spotlight

Aerospace Events

Advanced Engineering 2025 extends additives and composites spotlight

7 July 2025

Taking place on 29th and 30th October 2025 at the NEC Birmingham, Advanced Engineering will have a new expanded Composites Pavilion, SME Village, the ADS Pavilion, AM2 Forum (Additive Manufacturing and Advanced Materials Forum) and a focused Electronics Zone.

Advertisement
Teledyne
CAA appoints experts to strengthen economic regs and growth

Aerospace

CAA appoints experts to strengthen economic regs and growth

7 July 2025

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has appointed a team of specialists at the forefront of economics and competition policy to provide strategic advice to the aviation regulator on economic regulation and the challenges and opportunities in enabling the aviation sector to transform and grow.

Skyports and Ajman Transport to advance AAM in Ajman

Aerospace

Skyports and Ajman Transport to advance AAM in Ajman

7 July 2025

Ajman Transport Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Skyports Infrastructure, with the aim of exploring opportunities for cooperation in the field of advanced air mobility (AAM) for smart aerial transport, including air taxi services, in the Emirate.

Advertisement
DSEI 2025