American Made, Advanced Telemetry
Norcross, GA –
Safran Defense & Space, Inc. Testing & Telemetry (Safran DSI T&T) is expanding across its US footprint to shorten lead times, localize key subassemblies, and expand capacity for flight test and range instrumentation.
Reflecting the evolving Buy American landscape, these efforts support the US Government’s push to strengthen domestic manufacturing. This covers increasing US production of Safran DSI T&T antennas, recorders, encryptors, time distribution systems, and ground station equipment, while enhancing engineering services that enable open, modular architectures.
Safran DSI T&T offers instrumentation and telemetry turnkey solutions for both mobile and stationary systems. These include data acquisition units (DAUs), on-board recording, ground receivers, and data processing applications for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, as well as unmanned and eVTOL platforms, including missile, hypersonic, and launch vehicles. Safran DSI T&T has been steadily expanding its in-house design and engineering capabilities, leading to new solutions now available on the market.
Capitalizing on the investments made in 2024 and 2025, the T&T team has increased design, development, and production capabilities in Norcross, GA, to include wire harness and cable assembly, Integrated Mobile Telemetry Systems, and XMA stack assembly and testing. The cyber testing laboratory and the calibration capabilities provide additional value-added services and support for all US-based customers.
The first American-made XMA stack was assembled, tested, and inspected in September 2025. This milestone in the industrialized growth of the US business is pivotal to supporting key customers and critical US government programs.
CAR, SOFTWARE-BASED RECORDER
To meet footprint and cost challenges on smaller platforms, Safran DSI developed CAR, a software-based recorder ideal for the eVTOL, UAS and startup markets. CAR records streaming Chapter 10 and IRIG218 network data to Chapter 10 files and can also capture network traffic, storing it in PCAP files. Safran DSI T&T is working to implement TmNS and other advanced protocols. With its mission-based approach, operators can launch pre-configured setups at the touch of a button. Supporting simultaneous recording, monitoring, and control from a single interface, CAR is compatible with Linux (ARM and x86 architectures) and Windows, ensuring broad accessibility and low integration barriers.
MDREX, POWERFUL AND SECURE DATA ACQUISITION, RECORDING, PROCESSING & DISSEMINATION SYSTEM
Expanding its airborne recorder portfolio, Safran DSI has introduced MDREX, building on 65 years of HEIM expertise. MDREX is designed for demanding flight-test environments, offering modular configurations ranging from cost-efficient setups to advanced systems with 8 TB of storage and 2 Gbit/s data acquisition. MDREX integrates the latest cybersecurity features to safeguard mission data from capture to dissemination.
MICROMA, MODULAR WIRELESS DAU
Acknowledging that flight test engineers face the constraints of limited space, wiring complexity, a lack of power, and the need for fast, reversible setups, Safran DSI’s microMA offers a modular, wireless, and ultra-compact design that enables quick, non-intrusive deployment in harsh environments. microMA’s synchronized, battery-powered nodes simplify data acquisition, proving effective across troubleshooting, final assembly line testing, extending existing flight test instrumentation, and predictive maintenance.
Showcased during the International Telemetering Conference (ITC) last October, these investments reaffirm Safran DSI’s commitment to US manufacturing by accelerating lead times, reinforcing supply chain resilience, and anticipating customer needs - all in full compliance with the AS9100 quality management system. From transferring flagship products into local production to introducing new solutions like CAR, MDREX, and microMA, Safran DSI T&T is aligning with government priorities and ensuring that American customers benefit from precision, reliability, and speed.
