Aircraft
Big Sales Success for Diamond DA42 Surveillance Version
Diamond Aircraft has revealed a surge of orders for the DA42 Multi-Purpose Platform (MPP), also known as the Guardian.
The Diamond DA-42 is carving a substantial niche as a low-cost surveillance p
The Diamond DA-42 is carving a substantial niche as a low-cost surveillance p

Diamond Aircraft has revealed a surge of orders for the DA42 Multi-Purpose Platform (MPP), also known as the Guardian. It is the surveillance version of the Austrian company’s DA42 twin-engine training and touring aircraft. A total of 91 are now in service, in places such as Europe (18), Africa (14), the Middle East (11), the CIS (9), Australasia (20) and the Americas (14).

Christian Dries, chairman of Diamond, told AIN, “The MPPs are now 40 percent of our production and 70 percent of our turnover.” He said that flexibility and low cost of operation are major factors in the aircraft’s success. Roles include environmental monitoring, law enforcement, border and maritime patrol, and HDTV broadcasting.