Falco UAS Logs Over 15,000 Flying Hours

By Mike Ball / 26 Feb 2018

Smart Sourcing for Unmanned Systems

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow UST

Leonardo Falco UAS

Leonardo has announced that its Falco family of Remotely-Piloted Air Vehicles (RPAS) have together logged more than 15,000 hours of operational flight. The milestone was announced by the Company at UMEX, the United Arab Emirates’ specialist unmanned systems exhibition.

Since its maiden flight in 2003, more than 50 Falco family RPAS have been brought into operation around the world with five customers. While some users choose to operate the surveillance and intelligence-gathering platform independently, others opt for Leonardo to own and operate its own Falco aircraft and provide surveillance data as an air service operator. This latter model is becoming increasingly popular, with a reference customer for Leonardo being the United Nations. Here, Leonardo has flown Falco RPAS for thousands of hours over its first four years of support for the organisation’s humanitarian MONUSCO mission.

Find suppliers of Fixed-Wing UAVs >

As the Falco continues to evolve, the latest addition to the family, called the Falco Evo, is already proving to be a success, having been selected by two customers in the Middle East and Gulf region. The Falco Evo is the longest-endurance model in the family, offering customers more than 20 hours of flight time while carrying a payload of up to 100 kg. Falco Evo is capable of carrying a range of Leonardo sensors including the company’s Osprey and Gabbiano UL (Ultra Light) radars, and customers can also choose to equip the platform with third-party sensors.

Leonardo claims to be the only company in Europe able to offer a complete end-to-end RPAS system including its sensors/comms, mission management systems and ground control stations.

Posted by Mike Ball Mike Ball is our resident technical editor here at Unmanned Systems Technology. Combining his passion for teaching, advanced engineering and all things unmanned, Mike keeps a watchful eye over everything related to the unmanned technical sector. With over 10 years’ experience in the unmanned field and a degree in engineering, Mike’s been heading up our technical team here for the last 8 years. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

How to Balance Drone Propellers by Adding & Removing Material

Tyto Robotics explains how adding or removing material from drone propellers can improve flight stability, precision, and system performance

May 19, 2025
TEKEVER Supports RAF Programme with VTOL UAS for Electronic Warfare

TEKEVER’s AR3 uncrewed aerial system is supporting the UK’s StormShroud programme, advancing electronic warfare capabilities through modular integration and collaborative defence innovation

May 19, 2025
New Long-Endurance VTOL Drone to be Showcased at Xponential 2025

At Xponential 2025, Unmanned Aerospace will display their GH-4, a long-endurance vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) rotorcraft with a patented Automatic Pitch System (APS) and modular capabilities

May 19, 2025
Advanced Turnkey UAS Solutions for Civilian & Defense Applications

Altus LSA's multirotor and fixed-wing drones have been selected by leading clients including NATO, FRONTEX, and the European Maritime Safety Agency

May 19, 2025
AGISTAR Releases Modular USV for Aquatic Survey Applications

AGISTAR introduces the BX-USV II, a compact modular platform engineered for aquatic data collection, environmental monitoring, hydrographic surveying, and infrastructure inspection in shallow and inland waters

May 19, 2025
New Line of Combat-Proven USVs Enhances Maritime Operations

Red Cat Holdings expands into maritime autonomy with a new line of combat-proven USVs, enhancing multi-domain capabilities for modern naval and joint-force operations

May 19, 2025

Featured Content

WarrenUAS Secures FAA 44807 Exemption, Expanding Large UAS Training Capabilities

WarrenUAS has received FAA 44807 approval to train students on unmanned aerial systems weighing over 55 pounds in the NAS, placing it among only five U.S. organizations with this clearance, and expanding its national training leadership

May 15, 2025
Product Spotlight: Durable Lightweight Lithium-Ion Batteries for UAVs

American Lithium Energy (ALE)'s energy-dense lithium-ion battery cells combine high power output with built-in safety features, ideal for UAV and eVTOL applications in challenging environments

May 14, 2025
SAE Media Group Releases Agenda for Counter UAS Middle East & Africa 2025

The inaugural Counter UAS Middle East & Africa 2025 will gather global defense leaders in Amman to explore threats, technologies, and strategies shaping regional drone defense

May 13, 2025
Advancing Unmanned Systems Through Strategic Collaboration UST works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive unmanned systems capabilities forward.