SAFRAN DATA SYSTEMS

Their core work

Safran Data Systems is a French aerospace and defense company specializing in telemetry, data acquisition, and instrumentation systems for flight testing, space operations, and defense applications. As part of the Safran Group, they design and manufacture high-performance data systems used in helicopters, satellites, and launch vehicles. Their H2020 work spans radiation-hardened electronics for space and avionics, advanced helicopter flight test instrumentation, and space traffic management policy — reflecting their position at the intersection of aerospace hardware and operational data systems.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Safran Data Systems entered H2020 through hardware-focused work — radiation-resilient electronics (RADSAGA, 2017) and helicopter instrumentation systems (HIRIS, 2018). By 2021, their focus shifted toward space traffic management policy and governance (EUSTM), signaling a move from pure hardware engineering into the regulatory and operational framework for space activities. This progression from components to systems to governance reflects a company expanding its scope from what flies to how the entire space domain is managed.

Moving from aerospace hardware supplier toward a broader role in space operations governance and traffic management — a strategic bet on the growing "New Space" regulatory landscape.

How they like to work

Safran Data Systems operates flexibly across roles — coordinating HIRIS, partnering in RADSAGA, and participating in EUSTM — suggesting they adapt their involvement level to the project scope. With 41 unique partners across 13 countries from just 3 projects, they work in large, internationally diverse consortia typical of aerospace and space programs. Their willingness to join both technical R&D projects and policy-focused coordination actions makes them a versatile consortium member.

Despite only three H2020 projects, Safran Data Systems has built a network of 41 partners across 13 countries, reflecting the large consortium sizes typical of aerospace and Clean Sky programs. Their network spans Western Europe's core aerospace nations with strong ties to space and aviation research communities.

What sets them apart

Safran Data Systems brings large-group industrial capability (Safran Group backing) combined with deep specialization in aerospace data systems — a rare combination of scale and niche expertise. Their progression into space traffic management positions them uniquely as a hardware-rooted company that also understands the policy and governance side of space operations. For consortium builders, they offer both flight-proven instrumentation engineering and credibility in the growing space sustainability domain.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HIRIS
  Coordinated with EUR 1.5M EC funding under Clean Sky 2, developing an innovative rotating instrumentation system for helicopter flight testing — their largest and most prominent H2020 project.
• EUSTM
  Marks a strategic pivot into space traffic management policy and governance, addressing space debris and New Space regulation — a departure from their traditional hardware focus.