France Orders Camcopter S-100F, VSR700 Drones to Expand Shipborne Surveillance

France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) announced today it has signed two contracts to introduce new shipborne air drones for the French Navy under its Navy Air Drone System program.

The first contract, signed on December 29 with Naval Group, covers the acquisition and integration of a light vertical takeoff and landing drone capability on French Navy frigates using the Camcopter S-100F. The system is produced by Austria-based Schiebel and is already operated from French amphibious helicopter carriers.

Under the agreement, Naval Group will supply five Camcopter S-100F aerial drone systems and manage their physical and functional integration on the Navy’s multi-mission frigates. The drones are intended to extend maritime surveillance beyond the visual horizon and support reconnaissance missions. Each system has an endurance of about six hours and can carry a payload of up to 50 kilograms. The aircraft will be fitted with a wide-field optical sensor and a gyrostabilized optronic turret. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2026.

A second contract, signed on December 30, involves Naval Group and Airbus Helicopters and covers the acquisition of six VSR700 rotary-wing drones. The VSR700 is a long-endurance unmanned aircraft developed by Airbus Helicopters in cooperation with the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs.

The platform is derived from the Cabri G2 light helicopter, certified by French manufacturer Hélicoptères Guimbal. It has an endurance of up to eight hours and can carry payloads of up to 220 kilograms. The VSR700 will be equipped with a French maritime patrol radar supplied by Diades, along with a gyrostabilized optronic turret.

This second deal falls under a framework agreement announced at the Paris Air Show in 2025. The VSR700 drones are set to be progressively integrated on French Navy fleet replenishment ships, where they will support naval aviation operations linked to the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.