A flagship of Defense manufactures drones in Drôme

Drones have colonized the sky. In just a few years, they have become essential for observing, but also tracking and deterring. In Drôme, Survey Copter, a subsidiary of Airbus, based in Pierrelatte, is seeing its order books fill up.

The images of conflicts prove it to us every day: the war has changed its face and, above all, its dimension. Today, the sky belongs to drones, which have become essential for observing and responding in the event of an attack.

Faced with this strategic emergency, France, driven by cutting-edge know-how, is accelerating. In Drôme, Survey Copter, an Airbus subsidiary, has set up in Pierlatte, its order books are full.

It is in a discreet hangar on the Pierrelatte aerodrome that part of French sovereignty is established. The technicians are busy carrying out careful checks. Within its walls, drones are manufactured with watchmaker precision. “This is the motor which will operate all the control surfaces of the aircraft, explains Marius Couillet, mechanical integrator. You need to make a preset before assembly to make sure you have the right angle to aim the device. There are a lot of manual steps, after that, he adds, small aviation, it remains aviation.”

Some 2700 parts make up the 25kg aircraft positioned next to him. Equipped with ultra-sensitive cameras, the drone allows you to see from afar without being spotted.

Four drones are ready to be delivered to the French Navy. She has already ordered several dozen since 2020. “These models have a more effective way to achieve recognition that they didn’t have before, relates Jérôme Carichon, the operations director and production manager. They were limited in distance, there, they are completely autonomous, they do not need to use planes or helicopters. The navy has a drone directly on the boats which allows them to carry out reconnaissance over 100 km around their ship.”

Embedded on naval patrol boats, particularly overseas, drones are used to track illicit activities, such as illegal fishing, drug trafficking or acts of piracy.

Beyond observation and intelligence, drones constitute a new weapon of war. A desire to accelerate their production and use is emerging at the top of the state. This ambition is materialized in the military programming law which provides an envelope of 5 billion euros for drones and robots until 2030.

The market is competitive and whets appetites. Survey Copter is counting on its latest addition, the Capa X. It is a modular tactical drone, capable of carrying up to 20kg of payload over long distances.

Two drones are being evaluated by the army. Around ten will be produced this year. “There is indeed an awareness. The drone, suddenly, we realized that it could be used to accomplish a lot of different missions. This could be radar, magnetic detection payloads, for submarine detection for example, details Christophe Canguilhem, director of Survey Copterand tomorrow, in the near future, probably armaments, because I can confirm to you that there is demand in this area.”

In just a few years, the Drôme SME, a subsidiary of Airbus, has changed in size. Driven by a booming sector, Survey Copter continues its growth with the upcoming recruitment of around fifteen engineers and technicians, as well as the construction of a new hangar in 2027.

Article written based on the report by Mathias Garnier and Ophélie Boussadoun.