The technology multinational GMV has signed a collaboration agreement with the Spanish technology firm AUREA Avionics. Under GMV's overarching development strategy in the aerospace and defense markets this agreement sets out to boost the company's capacity of supplying complete turnkey solutions.

The main purpose of this agreement is to drive development of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Seeker. This is an autonomous, rapid-deployment system designed for surveillance and reconnaissance missions, providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities over a 15 kilometer range.

The UAV has a takeoff weight of 3.5 kg and an endurance of up to 90 minutes. Its onboard equipment guarantees endurance in all flight phases: manual launch, belly landing, waypoint navigation, orbits and flight with command from the Remote Hand-held Controller (RHC).

This alliance further strengthens GMV's position in the aeronautics, defense and security markets. In the former it has proven expertise in onboard avionics software, navigation systems, mission systems, etc, and has built up a wealth of experience in the development of UAV systems such as the Flight Control Computer of the RPAS ATLANTE. In the defense and security market it will strengthen the company's range in Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) and border surveillance. In JISR GMV now boasts a leadership position within Spain's participation in NATO's MAJIIC program, using the SAPIIEM system. GMV's border surveillance activities, including its priming since 2010 of the design, development, maintenance, deployment and upgrading of the EUROSUR network, will also be complemented and enhanced.

In the words of Jose Prieto, GMV's Director of Business Development and Institutional Affairs - Aerospace and Defense, "GMV brings to this agreement its over 30-year experience and expertise in aeronautics, defense and security, applying it to the development and marketing of this eUAV designed to carry out surveillance and recon missions in the harshest environments".