In a strategic collaboration, Elistair, a specialist in long-endurance, tethered unmanned aircraft systems, has partnered with Rheinmetall Canada Inc. to deliver an on-the-move Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) solution. The partnership integrates Elistair’s fully automated KHRONOS tethered drone with Rheinmetall Canada’s Mission Master family of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for military customers.

The announcement comes on the heels of a successful demonstration held at Rheinmetall Canada’s test track in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec. The demonstration featured the KHRONOS tethered drone and the Mission Master SP, an electric-powered UGV designed for resupply missions, overwatch, and payload carriage. The demonstration, witnessed by European military officials, showcased the collaborative capabilities of the two technologies.

Guilhem de Marliave, CEO of Elistair, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating, “We are very excited to be collaborating with a major defense contractor like Rheinmetall Canada. By combining their Mission Master family of UGVs with our push-button, long-endurance, automated KHRONOS drone, Rheinmetall Canada can provide customers with an advanced solution for unmanned reconnaissance and convoy escort.”

KHRONOS, unveiled by Elistair last November, offers unique capabilities. The tethered drone can be deployed from a transportable drone box in under two minutes and can remain airborne for up to 24 hours, even when operating from a moving platform. This enables continuous day/night coverage of an area within a 10-kilometer radius. The drone’s ability to operate in adverse weather conditions and GPS/GNSS-denied and RF-denied environments adds to its versatility.

Guilhem de Marliave emphasized the user-friendly features of KHRONOS, stating, “Thanks to its advanced automated features, it is easy to control, saving customers the heavy investment in training drone operators.”

Alain Tremblay, VP of Business Development and Innovation at Rheinmetall Canada, highlighted the adaptability of the KHRONOS drone. He stated, “The Mission Master family of UGVs can carry a variety of ISR payloads, but KHRONOS definitely has its advantages, and we see international interest given its innovative capacity to adapt to current and future complex theatres of operation.”

The first deliveries of the KHRONOS drone box are scheduled for March, marking a significant milestone in this collaboration aimed at enhancing military ISR capabilities.