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Delair-Tech, a leading French commercial drone company, recently announced that its DT18 and DT26X drones have been selected as the official choice for French government agencies purchasing fixed-wing UAV’s like the army, police forces and firefighters.

The decision was made by the Union of Public Procurement Groups (UGAP) which acts as the purchasing conduit for government agencies across the country. UGAP’s backing expands on the confidence the French government had already expressed in Delair-Tech’s drone technology. In 2012, Delair-Tech’s DT18 became the first commercial drone certified as S4 by the French government, a designation that confirmed its ability to fly beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).

The purchase contracts offered by Delair-Tech through UGAP will include integrated imagery sensors for capturing data (RGB high definition RGB PPK, multispectral, thermal infrared, LiDAR) and all the accessories needed to be fully operational (flight software, battery, charger, bag and suitcase transportation, spare parts).

According to Del-Air’s website, the agreements will provide training for two pilots, maintenance service and creation of a drone testing and training facility. It also includes the capability to process and analyze the data collected by the drones through the company’s Delair-Stack software platform.

“We are delighted to have our UAV solutions including hardware, software and services, available in the catalog of UGAP”. said Michael de Lagarde, president and co-founder of Delair-Tech.

The UGAP is a critical source for public sector purchasers who rely on its guidance. within a few days of the deal’s publication, an agreement was reached between RTE, Transmission System of Electricity, and Delair-Tech on the purchase and training of UAV system. This first order is representative of the strong demand by French customers who want to use fully developed high-tech products made in France.

The move by UGAP is also a sign of its growing belief in the potential benefits of drones for the country’s public sector. In addition to selecting Delair-Tech’s DT18 and DT26X for long-range drones in its catalog, UGAP, the government’s purchasing agency, also has chosen Azur Drone and Air Marine to provide drone support services, and Novadem for its rotary-wing drones.