São Paulo – Flight Technologies (FT Sistemas), a drone manufacturer and seller based in São José dos Campos, in Brazil’s São Paulo state, is betting on the foreign market, in the wake of signing a contract with an African country. “We believe external demand is very promising,” said chairman Nei Brasil.
To him, there are business opportunities to be had in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. “We want to increase our presence in countries where Brazil exerts strategic political and economic influence, ones that are not traditional export destinations [of the products the company supplies],” the executive said. At this time, the idea is to avoid markets such as the United States, Israel and a few European countries that have mastered this technology and are direct competitors in the industry.
Partnerships with government are key to commercial promotion in this industry, since many of the potential clients are governments. The executive noted that the company is accredited as a Strategic Defence Enterprise by the Brazilian Ministry of Defence, which entitles it to fiscal incentives.
This proximity with government, especially the Armed Forces, also warrants eventual referrals to international partners of Brazil’s, as was the case with the African country which purchased a batch of three Horus FT-100 drones; the Horus FT-100 is a light unit deployable for military or civil purposes involving mapping and surveillance. The order, according to the executive, reached the company via the Brazilian government.
The system is fully endowed with “communication links,” meaning that in addition to being remotely controlled, it sends the operator telemetry data and real-time videos. The entire equipment can be carried on foot by one soldier.
In addition to defence and security applications such as perimeter surveillance, target recognition and identification, the executive noted that the drone can be used for agriculture, mineral exploration, environmental surveillance, civil defence, monitoring and other activities.
The company also carries out promotion by attending fairs and trade missions, appointing overseas representatives, and contacting foreign embassies in Brazil.
According to Nei Brasil, FT Sistemas was founded in 2005 by postgraduate students at the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA), himself included, and from the start it has worked in tandem with the Armed Forces to develop drone technology, then largely unexplored in Brazil.
According to the executive, products designed ever since are being adopted by the Brazilian military. In addition to the Horus FT-100, the company has developed larger models in partnership with the Navy and Army. The drones can be customized to client specifications. A custom-made Horus FT-100 sells for around US$ 1 million.
FT Sistemas is a small business, with 20 employees, and handles design and integration; parts manufacturing is outsourced. The São José dos Campos area is the premier aerospace industry hub in Brazil.
Contact:
FT Sistemas
Tel.: +55 (12) 3905-2527
Email: flighttech@flighttech.com.br
Website: www.flighttech.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
