Canadian DoND Seeks 800+ SkyRanger R70s for Passage to Ally

 Teledyne FLIR Defense announced a deal with the Canadian Department of National Defence to sell more than 800 SkyRanger R70 UAV systems, for eventual donation to Ukraine.

The SkyRanger R70 UAVs will offer day/night thermal sensors, autonomous navigation capability, and multi-mission payload systems for up to 7.7 pounds. The deal is valued at $70 million USD, or $95 million CAD when counting the accompanying gear and equipment needed to operate the SkyRangers provided.
 
 Canada has said that the order will be entirely donated to Ukraine, added to that country's collection of Teledyne FLIR Defense systems sold, donated, and loaned to their war effort by allies around the world. Previous donations from Norway and Britain saw Teledyne's Black Hornet 'nano-drones' "perform successfully in numerous operations under the harshest of environments" according to the firm. Teledyne kit was also contracted via Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, handing over advanced thermal and visual imaging systems to pair with mobile radar sensor. The whole kaboodle was combined into a mobile platform to rapidly identify drone threats as part of a total counter-UAS solution for Ukraine.
 
 “I would like to thank the Canadian government and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, for turning to SkyRanger drones in their support for Ukraine,” said Edwin Roks, Chief Executive Officer of Teledyne Technologies. “As a world leader in small unmanned aerial systems and remote sensing solutions, Teledyne FLIR Defense is proving that tactical platforms such as SkyRanger and Black Hornet can deliver immediate covert situational awareness on today’s battlefields, where and when warfighters need it most.”

FMI: www.teledyneflir.com