Diamond Aircraft has completed the delivery of two DA62 MPPs to North Sea Aviation Services (NSAS), a Belgium-based air surveillance and reconnaissance missions operator and sister company to Ostend FBO North Sea Aviation Center. The aircraft are configured in a maritime surveillance fit and feature the latest electro-optical and infrared cameras (EO/IR), maritime radar as well as an AIS (Automatic Identification System for ships).

“NSAS preferred the DA62 MPP because of its great fuel efficiency, flexible platform, advanced aircraft design and many other features,” says founder and CEO Jef de Kinder. “The low operating cost combined with the high mission standard delivers extraordinary results, leaving the competition behind and creating a class of its own.”

Diamond Aircraft Austria sales manager, special mission aircraft division, Mario Spiegel says: “Maritime surveillance is often still conducted by large and expensive aircraft, sometimes even with less advanced sensors or vintage equipment such as binoculars. Where the data collected by larger and smaller aircraft are the same, and where those aircraft carry comparable role equipment, there is one other factor that is becoming more and more important and that is environment-friendliness. With its modern piston engines utilising up-to-date automotive technology and burning as little as 10 US gallons of jet fuel per hour, the DA62 MPP is by far the greenest surveillance aircraft on the market.”

Equipped with a multi-purpose nose that carries the EO/IR turret, the BR700 belly radome that houses the maritime radar, and the rear single seats with a centre console with integrated radio and control devices for the operators, the aircraft is the most advanced and versatile surveillance platform in its class.

Director, special mission aircraft division, Markus Fischer adds: “After so many years in our business it is still inspiring to see our new developments deploying in real operation, in particular to new friends and business partners like NSAS. NSAS has great plans, and we will do our best to support it wherever necessary and look forward to its feedback to support the MPP becoming an even more capable airborne asset.”