Nick has worked at Thales for over twenty years in a wide range of business-focused roles. He started as an electronics design engineer on Electronic Warfare Systems then moved to the commercial and negotiation side of the company followed by programme management, export sales and external affairs. He’s now Business Director for ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance) and UAV Systems, as well as company representative on ASTRAEA’s Steering Board and a member of several boards established to deal with UAV access to global airspace.
In the early days of ASTRAEA 1, Nick was a member of the joint multi-company bid negotiation team who put the consortium together and set up the programme’s constructs and framework. When work began in 2006, he became the Thales representative on the Steering Board and has since been elected to the role of Vice Chairman for both ASTRAEA 1 and 2.
“Those early days were very busy for us,” Nick said. “The consortium developed new ways of working and a novel framework to embrace the complex programme with stakeholders. It took most of the first year for the Board to maximise the inter-corporate cooperation and trust required to make the project a success.”
The Steering Board acts as the joint industry and government stakeholder review panel that provides oversight and guidance when necessary for the ASTRAEA Programme team. It reviews quarterly progress briefs from the Programme Director so members are abreast of the latest developments and can accurately determine the programme’s future direction and focus.
In ASTRAEA 2, the wider stakeholder team includes the Department of Business Innovation and Skills, UK Technology Strategy Board, Regional Agencies, the Ministry of Defence, the Civil Aviation Authority and other end-users. Nick’s focus is to ensure they’re all fully informed on progress and milestones and appreciate the programme’s achievements to date. While this is an unusual approach for a project of this size and magnitude, Nick and his colleagues have definitely shown the value of wider stakeholder engagement.
What does the future hold for UAS after ASTRAEA 2?
Nick said ASTRAEA is a “major stepping stone” on the path to UAV operations in non-segregated airspace – “It’s being seen as one of the key lead programmes in this growth area”. In fact, one of the key ASTRAEA achievements is the synergy between development of technology and the new regulations required for safe UAV operations.
“When the ASTRAEA programme concludes,” he predicted, “the UAV industry will have a robust roadmap for the way ahead drawn from the coordinated development of the technology, the regulatory aspects and the external end-users, all on parallel paths – this approach is unique to ASTRAEA and I believe the UAV world is watching us.”
But the UK can’t ‘go global’ alone. There are wider aspects involved to ensure UAVs have access to world-wide, non-segregated airspace and this will be the next phase to consider. Nick still predicts, however, that with a progressive, incremental approach the skies will open to routine multi-UAV operations by 2020.
About Thales and Thales UK
Thales is a global technology leader for both the defence & security and the aerospace & transport markets. In 2009 the company generated revenues of £11.5 billion (€12.9 billion), with 68,000 employees in 50 countries. With its 22,500 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equipment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint with operations around the world, working with customers as local partners.
Thales UK employs 8,500 staff based at 40 locations. In 2009, Thales UK's revenues were around £1.5 billion.