The DGA Delivers the First 1,000 Cost-Controlled Combat Drones to the French Army

The French company Harmattan AI completed in December 2025 the production of the first 1,000 cost-controlled combat drones ordered by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) on 30 June last year.

After completing the verification procedures, the DGA is ensuring the delivery of these first 1,000 drones to the French Army.

This initial batch of cost-controlled drones is primarily intended to equip the units participating in Exercise ORION 2026. They will also be used for training and operational preparation of soldiers.

Less than a year was required between the launch of the European call for tenders in February 2025 and the delivery of the first 1,000 drones to the forces, thanks to a simplified expression of needs based on exchanges between the State and the industry within the framework of the Defence Aerial Drones Pact.

Call for Tenders and Design

Open to European companies, the tender was won by the French company Harmattan AI, which has since become the first French unicorn in the defense industry. The company designs and assembles its micro-drone on French territory, in partnership with the French company Lynred, which supplies the infrared cameras.

Weighing 1.8 kg, the combat drone has a range of over two kilometers and a flight endurance of 40 minutes. Equipped with optronic observation systems, this drone enables rapid surveillance or reconnaissance of large areas or hard-to-reach zones, both day and night.

The commissioning of 1,000 cost-controlled combat drones represents a major asset for future military operations. It demonstrates France’s ongoing commitment to innovation and the modernization of its armed forces.

Official Statement

“I will take the example of Harmattan AI, a company that did not exist two years ago: with the guidance of the DGA within the framework of the Drones Pact, it was able to respond to a simplified call for tenders, under very short notice, to deliver in six months 1,000 drones specifically designed for Exercise ORION, which will begin in a few days. This responsiveness must ultimately become our new standard. It is our new time scale,” said Catherine VAUTRIN, Minister of the Armed Forces and Veterans, on 22 January 2026 in Toulon.

About Harmattan AI

Founded in 2024, the French company Harmattan AI is a technology enterprise specializing in autonomous drones powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). It produces various types of drones integrating AI solutions and operates in Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

In October 2025, the company notably announced a partnership with the Ukrainian company Skyeton to improve the Ukrainian Raybird drone.

Source: Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans, 30 January 2026