UK-based aerospace services company 2Excel Aviation has taken delivery of the first DA62 MMP (multi-purpose platform) from Diamond Aircraft. The aircraft is the first of three on order; two are to be configured for maritime reconnaissance while one will be equipped with aerial survey equipment.

Equipped with the first ever Trakka TC-375 camera and the Diades Marine C-Ranger 200 maritime radar, the DA62 MMP can locate and identify targets at sea most efficiently. The at loiter speed can achieve mission flight times of up 10 hours and it collects the same data as larger platforms at a fraction of the cost.

Arnie Palmer, 2Excel Aviation director of special missions­­ Arnie Palmer says: “These DA62 MPPs bolster our fleet of special missions aircraft to service our rapidly growing customer base. They're equipped to handle many of our mission requirements and our crews have been training on how to use them to best effect, so that we can continue to provide the superb level of service our customers have come to expect.”

Purchasing the DA62 is aligned with both 2Excel's fleet upgrade strategy and the company's commitment to reducing emissions as part of its wider carbon reduction and ESG strategy.

Palmer adds: “These DA62s will make our operations even more efficient by reducing operating and maintenance costs. Packed with the latest high-tech sensors and equipment, they will also allow us to generate the required taskings with fewer flying hours, further driving down costs and our carbon footprint and leading to better outcomes for our customers, as well as giving our crews the most up-to-date digital cockpits, enhancing flight safety.”

“It is fantastic to see how this still young relationship with 2Excel has grown. One and a half years ago, we first visited 2Excel with a DA62 MPP for some flight trials. Soon it will have three of our planes in operation. It was a perfect match from the beginning,” says Mario Spiegel, sales manager of Diamond Aircraft's special mission aircraft division.