The initiative is intended to supplement France’s existing drone capabilities and achieve a sovereign operational solution by 2030: Daher
To support the development of France’s sovereign drone capabilities by 2030, French company Daher has been selected by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) as one of five firms to work on a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone demonstrator.
In a press statement, Daher says that this announcement was made at the ongoing Paris Air Show in Le Bourget. It adds that its selection reinforces its role in the defence and sovereignty sectors, which contributed EUR 300 million or 15.5 pc of its total revenue in 2024. The company aims to begin drone production at scale by the end of the decade.
Daher says that the DGA invited proposals from around 10 European industrial players for the development of drones capable of long-duration operations in various environments, including high-risk zones. The initiative is intended to supplement France’s existing drone capabilities and achieve a sovereign operational solution by 2030. These requirements include a remotely piloted demonstration and a complete technical specification by the end of 2026.
Didier Kayat
“Daher is a trusted strategic partner to both French and international armed forces. For many years, we have built strong partnerships across all sectors of defense. Our historical values – sovereignty, responsiveness, adaptability and robustness, have earned us trust, which now is reaffirmed by the DGA. We are fully committed to delivering a drone that meets the highest standards of the French government and its allies,” says Didier Kayat, Chairman, CEO, Daher.
The French conglomerate says it is now collaborating with Thales to deliver a ‘Plug & Fly’ solution using a certified CS 23 platform, with Thales providing the ground control station, ground-to-air data link, command and control systems, and flight control system.
Pascal Laguerre
“With our Plug & Fly drone solution, an existing aircraft can be rapidly converted into an autonomous or remotely piloted platform without rethinking the entire architecture. This approach simplifies integration and accelerates deployment, elements that are perfectly aligned with the French Ministry of Armed Forces’ expectations for responsiveness, modularity, and technological sovereignty,” says Pascal Laguerre, Chief Technology Officer, Daher.
The statement says that the platform is compatible with French and ITAR-free defence electronic systems. It allows for piloted or unmanned operations and can operate across various types of airspace. The company states that it can complete the demonstration flight in six months, faster than the 18-month period specified in the original call.
“With more than 30 years of experience with our TBM and Kodiak products, Daher is now a key strategic player in the development and delivery of MALE drones. We provide a sovereign, mature, and agile response to today’s strategic challenges,” says Nicolas Chabbert, Senior Vice President, Aircraft Division, Daher.