At only 22 years old, Robin Perdreau is preparing to complete his engineering course in robotics and autonomous systems at Polytech Nice Sophia. With his partner Vahan Komaryan, he has been carrying out an ambitious project for almost three years: designing a hybrid drone, capable of combining the advantages of fixed-wing devices, which can go far but without being able to carry a heavy load, and traditional quadcopters.
The idea was born in 2023, during a visit to the Paris Air Show. Faced with the rise of drones in current conflicts, the two students identify a need for more versatile solutions, “we said to ourselves that with the skills and resources made available to us at Polytech, we could offer an innovative solution that could bring real added value“, says Robin Perdreau. From this reflection emerges Hirondelle Technologies and its first product: the Hirondelle drone. A device based on an original vector-thrust tricopter architecture. Concretely, its thrusters can point in different directions, allowing it to take off and land vertically while maintaining rapid movement capabilities over long distances. The objective being to respond to missions where speed and security are decisive, “bring blood bags, ammunition or tactical equipment to a contested front line“, specifies the co-director.
A technological project developed entirely in-house
If the company is being created, all development is carried out by the two founders. From mechanical design to flight control, including electronics, composite materials and even software architecture, everything is designed in-house. After a first prototype, the team is now working on a second functional version. The drone has substantial dimensions: almost three meters long and weighing around 20 kg. Currently in the testing phase, it must be the subject of demonstrations with military actors before the development of an industrializable version.
The target market is mainly that of defense. Hirondelle Technologies targets in particular the needs for transporting medical equipment, ammunition or tactical equipment in environments where human intervention presents high risks. Ultimately, the French and European armies are among the potential customers. “Today everyone is investing massively in drones because it is a decisive strategic capability. The cost structure has changed, a helicopter or an assault tank which costs millions of dollars can be shot down very quickly by a drone which only costs 400“.
The accompaniment of Pépite as an accelerator
If the project was able to achieve several key stages, its founders highlight the role played by the network Pépite Méditerranée. In their third year of robotics when they launched their initiative, they were looking for a device capable of reconciling studies and entrepreneurship. Thanks to the national status of student-entrepreneur, they benefit in particular from arrangements allowing them to devote their internships to their own project and to avoid an interruption of several months linked to international mobility obligations. The two entrepreneurs also follow the training offered by Pépite, including the Student-Entrepreneur Diploma (D2E) and the Deeptech course.
Although the team is no longer supported by the Pépite network today, it has been directed towards the PACA-Est incubator. Hosted at Polytech Nice Sophia, the future company is now planning to set up in Sophia Antipolis, where it intends to continue the development of its patented technology and prepare its entry into the market.
