Safran Data Systems, an instrumental role in air & space
Specialized in flight test instrumentation and telemetry, Safran Data Systems applies its expertise to high value-added niche markets. The company is consolidating its leadership by leveraging its ability to innovate and anticipate in these fast-moving markets.
art of Safran Electronics & Defense, Safran Data Systems operates in very different markets from the Group’s other businesses. Now 700 people strong, it traces its roots to the telemetry and instrumentation markets – in other words, acquiring data on a moving vehicle and transmitting it to a ground station.
LEADERSHIP GROUNDED IN EXPERTISE
The associated technologies are traditionally called on to acquire and store data during test flights of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, missiles and drones, as well the latest flying taxis and other new mobility modes. In fact, Safran Data Systems addresses an entire market segment dedicated to the testing of moving vehicles in the broad sense of the term, for both civil and military applications. Another core business segment is the production of ground stations for satellite data transmission and reception. The company provides a complete slate of design and production services for products including antennas, modems and highspeed receivers.
This focus on niche markets is a defining characteristic of Safran Data Systems. As CEO Jean-Marie Bétermier explains, “The company’s footprint stops when a plane starts to fly; we’re only involved in test programs, not production. That means we’re not dependent on aircraft sales volumes, so we’ve been less affected by the current crisis. However, we operate in limited markets, which demand constant performance improvements. The solution is to invest heavily and continuously, so we can meet increasingly demanding expectations. Our quality has to be flawless, since we operate in small markets where word of mouth really resonates.”
The “fab” team meets at its Arcachon facility in southwest France.
“Our products are designed to be bought by as many customers as possible. What allows us to stand out, fortunately, is that every aviation or space program potentially needs us.”
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FROM NASA TO ROCKET LAB
Because of the limited size of its markets, Safran Data Systems applies a clear and focused sales strategy: sell standard products and solutions to everybody, anywhere. “We don’t sell projects, but rather products that are designed to be bought by as many customers as possible,” notes Jean- Marie Bétermier. “What allows us to stand out, fortunately, is that every aviation or space program potentially needs us. And we work with aerospace customers worldwide, including space agencies and launcher manufacturers, as well as aircraft and engine-makers and aeronautical test centers. Safran Data Systems’ client roster includes majors such as Airbus, Boeing, ESA, NASA and ArianeGroup, as well as new players such as Rocket Lab, Virgin Orbit and Relativity.
The company is capitalizing on its agility, and above all on a major innovation effort, with some 15% of annual sales being reinvested in R&D. Furthermore, its talented R&D teams, capable of quickly bringing products to market, work closely with an extensive sales & marketing force, enabling Safran Data Systems to keep its fingers on the pulse of a changing market.
Candidates wanted!
Safran Data Systems has very ambitious recruitment goals for 2021, with more than 100 job openings in project management and support functions. If you’re tempted by these exciting jobs with a future, go to e-talent to apply.
SPACE GOES WILD WEST
The company’s staff invests a lot of time and energy in tracking market intelligence. For example, Safran Data Systems’ ground systems business is capitalizing on the emergence of new players, with more than one hundred entities today that say they want to build their own launch vehicles, most privately funded.
“The space market has turned into a sort of Wild West,” explains Bétermier, “and everybody wants to span the sky with huge satellite constellations such as Starlink from SpaceX or Kuiper from Amazon. All these projects will lead to a huge number of new orbiting objects which have to communicate with the ground, thus creating new opportunities for our business.” In the telemetry segment, the trend towards decarbonized aviation should also generate new growth opportunities as innovative new concepts emerge, requiring even more testing. In short, a challenging, but very promising future lies ahead for Safran Data Systems.
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