Falco EVO French Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Falco EVO

Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Spotted an error? Sign in to suggest an edit.

Falco EVO French Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) — Falco EVO French UAV (A)TRADOC ODIN WEG

Basic Information

Name

Falco EVO French Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Designation

Falco EVO

Alternate Designation

Falco EVO

Equipment Type

Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Manufacturer

Leonardo

Date of Introduction

2012

Description

The Falco EVO French Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) represents Leonardo's (formerly SELEX ES/Finmeccanica) tactical unmanned aerial system engineered for persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations. As an evolutionary upgrade from the proven Falco platform, the Falco EVO incorporates the same airframe design and control architecture while delivering enhanced performance characteristics through larger wing and tail boom structures. Beyond military applications, the system supports dual-use requirements including border patrol, coastal watch, immigration prevention, law enforcement, power and pipeline surveillance, environmental monitoring, and illegal fishery interdiction. This mission flexibility reflects both the technical sophistication and operational maturity of the platform.

Air & Air Defense Specifications

Max Speed 216.0 km/h

Range 200.0 km

Endurance 20.00 hrs

Service Ceiling 6000 m

Wingspan 12.50 m

Payload Capacity 100 kg

System

Alternate Designation Falco EVO

Type Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Manufacturer Leonardo

Payload Capacity 100 kg

Sensor Payload Integration The Falco EVO's tactical advantage derives substantially from its multispectral sensor flexibility and integration architecture. The platform accommodates multiple concurrent payload configurations: Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) systems with laser range finder (LRF) and laser designator (LD) capability; Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with ground-moving-target indicator (GMTI) functionality; Multi-mode surveillance radar including Leonardo's advanced sensor suites (Gabbiano 20, PicoSAR AESA, Osprey AESA); Electronic warfare (EW) equipment including passive and active electronic support measures (ESM); Communications intelligence (COMINT) collection packages; Automatic Identification System (AIS) for maritime surface target detection; Hyperspectral sensors for specialized reconnaissance requirements.

Ground Control Station (GCS) The GCS platform (shared with the original Falco variant) provides mission planning, pre-flight verification, real-time flight management, and post-mission analysis. Automated surveillance flight plans enable programmed operations with continuous manual override capability, reducing crew workload during extended operations. The system supports STANAG 4609 format data dissemination for C4I network integration.

Ground Data Terminal (GDT) The GDT maintains redundant command and control data links with optional jamming-resistant transmission. Real-time video and sensor data transmission occurs via remote video terminals (RVTs) distributed to forward units, enabling tactical-level exploitation by small unit commanders without access to centralized GCS facilities.

Dimensions

Length 6.2 m

Height 2.5 m

Wingspan 12.5 m

Maximum Takeoff Weight 650 kg

Automotive

Engine Name INA

Engine Type INA

Engine Power INA

Maximum Speed 216 km/h

Cruise Speed INA

Maximum Range 200 km

Service Ceiling 6,000 m

Endurance 20 hours

Image Sources

Notes https://aviationweek.com/defense/aircraft-propulsion/leonardo-falco-uav-monitor-wildfires-canary-islands; https://aeronautics.leonardo.com/en/products/falco-evo; https://www.edrmagazine.eu/leonardo-deploys-its-falco-evo-rpas-for-drone-based-maritime-surveillance-as-part-of-the-frontex-test-programme

Details

Country of Origin France

Category UAVs

Air > UAVs

Classification

Domain

Air & Air Defense

Equipment Status

Active

Dimensions

Length

6.2 m

Width

12.5 m

Height

2.5 m

Weight

650 kg

Operators (1)

France

Something went wrong. Please reload the page. Reload