Answer given by Mr Avramopoulos on behalf of the Commission

6.1.2015

For the Aeroceptor project, ONERA (FR) is going to perform flight tests in 2015. These will take place in ONERA facilities, inside a segregated airspace. Only project partners will take part in the tests. No further tests with drones are planned. The equipment to be tested can be grouped into three categories: Platform, Data link and Payload. The platform for payload testing is a Yamaha Rmax Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The data link equipment to be used is not yet determined. One of the payloads to be used in the flight tests is defined: the Electro Optical camera. The rest of the payloads to be used are yet to be defined.

No tests have been conducted yet for the Closeye project. Future tests are planned and will run in two scenarios (07/2015-11/2015), one in the Alboran Sea and a second one in the south of Italy. In the first test a small rotary wing RPA will be deployed from an Offshore Patrol Vessel operated by Guardia Civil. This RPA will be equipped with an electro optical and infrared payload with sensor video analysis and sensor processing. In the second test, a small tactical rotary wing RPA will be deployed from an OPV operated by Marina Militare. The Frontex agency is expected to be involved, with other Member States as observers.

For the SUNNY project, trials of the system are planned between September 2016 and December 2016. Only the project partners are currently planned to participate in the trials.

It should be noted that these are research projects. They do not prejudge further technological and capability related choices to be made, including with regard to whether or not the results of the project would be further used in the mid to long term.

The Commission would like to note that DeSIRE is a project of the European Space Agency and not of the Commission.