French defense electronics manufacturer Thales has signed a strategic partnership with Skydweller Aero, a US startup that produces solar-powered drones with the wingspan of a Boeing 747. The partnership aims to develop an unmanned maritime patrol aircraft that can remain on duty for weeks or even months. Announced at the Paris Air Show, this development has the potential to create a new “paradigm” in maritime surveillance and intelligence.
The Meeting of Solar-Powered Drone and Artificial Intelligence-Powered Radar
Philippe Duhamel, Vice President of Thales Defense Mission Systems, said on June 18, 2025 that the package offered by the two companies will include the same AI-enabled radar found on the French Navy’s Atlantique 2 (ATL2) crewed maritime patrol aircraft. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the two companies for this integration.
Duhamel said Thales and Skydweller will initially target military customers, with Thales working to integrate the radar into the platform. The companies hope to sign contracts “very soon.”
Sebastien Renouard, head of international development at Skydweller Aero, was very ambitious about the cost-effectiveness of this new system. He said that the system would cost “significantly less than a Reaper” compared to rivals such as the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, while operating costs would be five to 10 times lower than any comparable platform. “It will be very devastating” He emphasized the potential of the project by saying.
Unlimited Patrol Ability in “Fake Satellite” Mission
The Skydweller drone, according to Renouard “fake satellite” and when combined with Thales' smart radar, “A new paradigm for maritime surveillance” The UAV is powered by more than 17.000 solar cells and can carry a 400-kilogram payload.
Renouard theorized that Skydweller “for days, weeks and months” He said their goal is to fly continuously for a year at some point, but that will require intermediate steps such as maintenance of the platform and payload. The company said, The first major milestone is 90 days of uninterrupted operation sees it as.
Duhamel stressed that the use case for this system is very different from the ATL2 maritime patrol aircraft used by the French Navy, which “does not fly for weeks.” He noted that the ATL2 has many other functions not found in the Skydweller, and said that this new drone will take on a “complementary” role to the ATL2 for continuous surveillance.
Advanced Radar Technology and Wide Application Areas
The maritime patrol version of the Skydweller will feature an X-band active electronically scanned array radar, which Duhamel said is designed primarily for maritime surveillance. Thales AirMaster S Duhamel said the radar will be equipped with A range of 200 kilometers He stated that he had the ability to track thousands of tracks simultaneously in both water and air.
Renouard said Skydweller initially focused on maritime surveillance, a field where the company felt it was in a good position because sovereignty is at risk and intelligence and surveillance are the most difficult. Duhamel added that AI data processing allows target classification, which limits the flow of data to operators and gives them a better overview. Low power consumption also makes the AirMaster S suitable for drones.
Renouard said Thales and Skydweller have already seen interest from a number of customers, with the companies in talks with militaries, civil emergency services and border control agencies in Europe and the US. “For us the market is definitely military, but not only that” According to the Skydweller executive, the solar-powered drone can fly non-stop in the polar regions up to about 40 degrees north and south of the Equator during the summer months, while operations will be limited to one day in the polar winter due to available light.
This collaboration has the potential to provide an innovative solution to the global need for long-term, cost-effective maritime surveillance capabilities.
