Thales turns drones into electronic spies with 11-pound EW payload

Thales has developed a lightweight electronic warfare (EW) payload weighing under 11 pounds (5 kg) and consuming less than 40 watts, designed for integration with small drones, including tethered and free-flying unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Unveiled at the 2025 Paris Air Show, this compact sensor system enables frontline forces to autonomously detect, locate, and geolocate enemy radio-frequency (RF) emitters over tens of miles. It operates passively, collecting intelligence without emitting detectable signals, which is crucial for stealthy surveillance in contested electromagnetic environments. The system is user-friendly, requiring minimal training, and addresses a capability gap by extending EW tools to conventional maneuver units, supporting distributed operations, electronic order of battle generation, and battlefield spectrum management. The payload was developed under a proof-of-concept contract awarded by France’s Defence Innovation Agency (AID) after a competitive European selection process and has been successfully tested by multiple French defense units in land and sea scenarios