France Orders 1,000 AI-Enabled Combat Drones
On June 30, 2025, the DGA (Direction générale de l'armement - the French Government defence procurement and technology agency) notified Harmattan AI, the company that won the European tender, of a contract to acquire combat drones aimed at strengthening the army's equipment.
The notification of this contract is accompanied by an order for 1,000 drones that will be delivered before the end of 2025, with priority given to units taking part in the Orion 2026 exercise.
They will also be used in the training and operational preparation of combatants.
Designed and assembled in France, these Sonora quadcopter micro-drones are equipped with an electro-optical camera. They can also be fitted with an additional infrared camera. Based on the summary statement of requirements issued at the end of 2024, the DGA and the French Army met with the members of the "Defense Aerial Drones" pact in December 2024 to assess the industrial offering in the desired drone segment.
At the end of February 2025, the DGA launched a call for tenders with a deliberately simplified statement of requirements, close to the market offering and comprising only around twenty requirements, to aim for low unit cost and rapid production while meeting operational challenges.
Numerous companies responded to this consultation. In addition to price, three main technical performance criteria and pre-contractual tests, lasting half a day per candidate, validating the maturity of the proposed products, enabled the selection of the best offer.
The second half of 2025 will be dedicated to industrial activity, with the production of 1,000 drones, which will be delivered between October and December, less than a year after the need was expressed.
A European Call for Tenders Won by a French Company:
The DGA's call for tenders was open to European companies, and the French company Harmattan AI won the tender. Its micro-drone is designed and assembled in France, using the French company Lynred to supply the infrared cameras.
Weighing 1.8 kilograms, this drone has a range of 2 kilometers and a flight time of 40 minutes.
Source: Direction générale de l'armement
