France’s DGA defense procurement agency has selected Daher and Thales as the main partners in a consortium to develop a medium-altitude long endurance (MALE) drone demonstrator. As part of efforts to expedite the availability of sovereign French capability by 2030, the partners have committed to conducting a remotely-piloted flight demonstration and providing a full technical specification by the end of 2026.
Daher will provide an as-yet unspecified aircraft platform to be combined with Thales’ ground station, ground-to-air data link, and flight control system. DGA said the forthcoming MALE platform is intended to complement France’s current drone capability.
At a Paris Air Show media briefing on Wednesday, Daher said the requirement is to use a “plug-and-fly” solution based on an aircraft already certified under EASA’s CS23 general aviation rules. The company indicated that it may be able to accelerate the program and achieve a flight demonstration in just six months.
The new MALE platform will be certified on an ITAR-free basis, meaning that the U.S. government will now have control over the technology’s use. It would be suitable for either piloted or uncrewed operations.
“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,” said Nicolas Chabbert, senior v-p of Daher’s aircraft division. “We provide a sovereign, mature, and agile response to today’s strategic challenges.”
In 2024, military activities accounted for 15.5% of Daher’s revenues, generating €300 million ($345 million).