Datron World Communications Announces Strategic Investment in Aeryon Labs
Funding will Advance Development of Scout Micro-UAV Platform and Expand International Market Presence
Datron World Communications, Inc. ( www.dtwc.com ), a leader in the tactical and public safety communications industry, announced a significant equity investment in Aeryon Labs, a Canadian-based technology innovator of robotics for aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Under terms of the agreement, Datron will become an equity partner in Aeryon Labs while maintaining its private label status and exclusive rights to distribute the Scout through the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. FMS funding allows foreign militaries access to U.S. Government-sponsored assistance to purchase advanced communications technologies. The investment will also facilitate worldwide expansion and advance development of the Scout for tactical, government, public safety and commercial markets. Details of the arrangement were not announced.
“Datron’s passion is to sell cost effective communications products that are extremely easy to use and allow operators to focus on the mission and not the technology, which could ultimately save lives,” states Art Barter, President and CEO of Datron. “Our previous private label agreement with Aeryon Labs solidified the Scout as a natural addition to our company’s product offerings. The Datron investment in Aeryon will further extend the effectiveness of our worldwide distribution network and exclusive U.S. Foreign Military Sales relationships in making Scout the preferred, small form factor Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) solution.”
Recently, Datron and Aeryon successfully completed exhaustive evaluations as part of the URBEX Trials (UK), Spartan Bear (Canada) and Empire Challenge (U.S.). The Scout has also been deployed by the Libyan National Council in their efforts to overthrow the Gadhafi regime.
“Our relationship with Datron has been invaluable to the evolution of Scout, using information from the field and requirements of real users to drive new innovations,” says Dave Kroetsch, President of Aeryon Labs. “Datron’s equity investment will help us put the Scout in the hands of more users worldwide and continue to advance product development for military and commercial applications.”
Weighing only 2.6 lbs (1.17 kg), Datron Scout has a robust design with modular assembly and battery-powered brushless motors that enable it to silently “hover and stare” and follow any point of interest. Its carbon-fiber rotor blades easily fly in altitudes up to 13,000 feet (3,962.4 meters) and 31 mph (50 kph) winds — with gusts up to 50 mph (80 kph) – making it ideal for operation in inclement weather. Controlled from a tablet-PC, the Datron Scout combines a point-and-touch interface with intelligent applications for intuitive control and mission effectiveness — from mapping of new territories to nighttime surveillance using the FLIR Tau thermal imaging camera. Tool-less assembly means an operator can launch Datron Scout into any environment within minutes. In addition to impressive aerial intelligence capabilities, the Scout has been mission-tested and field-proven in real world operations around the globe.
Datron and Aeryon Labs will continue collaboration on the design and performance of the Scout as users adopt the product and provide valuable input on enhancements required by the soldier, first responder and commercial user in the field. The Datron Scout will be on display during the AUSA show in Datron’s booth #4149.
