France Delivers First 1,000 Cost-Controlled Combat Drones to Army

France’s Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) said it delivered the first 1,000 combat drones to the French Army on January 30, completing the initial phase of an order last year.

The contract was signed on June 30, 2025, with French firm Harmattan AI under a fast-tracked European tender launched in February 2025, with the DGA citing simplified technical requirements developed with industry under the Defence Aerial Drone Pact for the sub-one-year delivery timeline. The competition was open to European companies and awarded to Harmattan AI, which designs and assembles the micro-drones in France, with infrared cameras supplied by French firm Lynred.

The drone weighs 1.8 kg, has a range of more than 2 km, and can fly for up to 40 minutes. Equipped with optronic observation systems, it is intended for surveillance and reconnaissance missions, including in hard-to-reach areas, during both day and night operations.

According to the DGA, fielding 1,000 drones at a controlled cost per soldier reflects a shift toward faster procurement cycles and rapid integration of new capabilities into French military units. The drones were designed to meet operational needs identified for Exercise Orion, a major French military exercise scheduled to begin in the coming days.