Airbus DS Airborne Solutions (ADAS) has marked a key achievement in its European border security operations, logging 10,000 flight hours with the Heron 1 Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) under a Frontex contract based in Malta. In 2025, Frontex awarded ADAS a second four-year contract to conduct maritime surveillance across the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. The mission relies on the Heron 1, a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) supplied by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), ADAS’s trusted partner. Full turnkey services are being delivered from Malta and Crete, Greece.
The Malta operation is particularly noteworthy as it was executed over five years using only a single UAS, maintaining uninterrupted flight operations. This accomplishment demonstrates ADAS’s proven performance in managing demanding UAS missions under real-world conditions—such as extended over-water flights, harsh weather, and operations within international airport environments and airspace, all of which demand rigorous professionalism and precision.
Ralf Hastedt, ADAS Managing Director Sales and Business Development, commented: “This success underlines the high reliability of the system as well as the commitment and expertise of the teams involved.” He credited the achievement to the dedication of ADAS on-site personnel and their supporting teams.
