U.K. Army Cleared to Flight Train With Watchkeeper UAS



By Brett Davis



The United Kingdom’s Watchkeeper unmanned aircraft system has been cleared to begin flight training with the Royal Artillery, according to the U.K. Ministry of Defence.



Until now the system, developed by Thales UK and based on Elbit Systems’ Hermes 450, has been tested only by its developers, racking up more than 600 flying hours from West Wales Airport.



With the new approval, 1st Artillery Brigade pilots will be trained to fly the aircraft in a restricted airspace over the Salisbury Plain Training Area. The flights will take place between 8,000 and 16,000 feet and will be overseen by military air traffic controllers.



“Watchkeeper will provide real-time information for troops conducting operations on the ground, allowing them to understand better and thereby overcome threats they may face,” says Philip Dunne, the minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology. “The release to service is a major milestone in this important program.”



The move marks the first time an unmanned aircraft has been granted a full release to service, according to Thales. The vehicle is certified to the same standard as manned aircraft, the company also noted, and is the only UAS of its kind allowed to fly in United Kingdom airspace.