Diamond Celebrates Special Mission Twin Fleet

Diamond Aircraft has delivered the 10th of it’s DA62 Multi Purpose Platform (MPP), their high-performance sensor-laden workhorse for commercial surveillance, search and rescue, aerial patrol, force protection, disaster management, systems calibration, and other professional missions.

As delivered, the newest addition is configured as a maritime patrol aircraft, equipped with radar, AIS receiver, marine band radio, SIGINT, and Beyond Line of Sight datalink equipment. The installation of the maritime-specific radar pod required custom design and development, which was scratch built and perfectly tailored to the specific aerodynamic and technical needs of the DA62. The result was certified as the Belly Radome, BR-700 pod, a quick development that Diamond undertook in a parallel development program alongside the primary MPP aircraft. 

The aircraft has found an enthusiastic buyer in DEA Aviation (not to be confused with the American Drug Enforcement Agency, also a fan of surveillance aircraft). The company is the proud owner of 10 DA62s in its fleet of mission-capable aircraft, offering customers intel, surveillance, reconnaissance, aerial survey, specialist transport, and aeronautical calibration for UK customers. The DA62 has become an affordable, reliable addition to professional ISR operators throughout Europe, owing to its expansive portfolio of compatible sensor suites, numerous attachment points, and generous weight accommodations suitable for a variety of mission profiles. 

“It is so impressive to see how fast both companies developed over more than ten years of successful cooperation in this extraordinary business field. As DEA was one of my first customers to look after here at Diamond, I feel even more proud to have the chance to be a part of this success story so far and I cannot wait to see where we are in the next ten years,” said Markus Fischer, director of Diamond’s special mission division. “For us as aircraft manufacturer it also important to have partners like DEA where we work close together in regard to product development and straight feedback from the market – seems to be a perfect business symbiosis which developed under pressure of the customer’s requirements.”

FMI: www.dea.aero, www.diamondaircraft.com