Paris Air Show, Le Bourget, France – June 18, 2025 Daher has been selected by the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) as one of five companies to develop a MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drone demonstrator.
Announced at the Paris Air Show, this partnership highlights Daher’s robust and sustainable industrial capabilities as a recognized French aircraft manufacturer, positioned to produce drones in significant volumes by the end of the decade. The success underscores Daher’s growing momentum in the strategic defense and the sovereignty sectors, which accounted for 15.5% of the company’s revenue in 2024, totaling €300 million.
An innovative project at the heart of technological sovereignty
As part of its call for proposals, the DGA sought responses from approximately 10 European industrial players to develop large MALE drones capable of conducting long-duration operations, including in hostile environments. The initiative aims to complement France’s current drone capabilities. The specifications require a remotely piloted flight demonstration and a full technical specification by the end of 2026, with a goal of achieving an operational sovereign capability by 2030.
Leveraging its aircraft manufacturing expertise, Daher is partnering with Thales – which provides the ground station, ground-to-air data link, command and control, and Flight Control System (FCS) – to deliver a credible and immediately operational “Plug & Fly” solution based on a certified CS 23 (light aviation) platform.
Fully compatible with defense electronics systems that are French and ITAR-free, this proven platform provides a robust, reliable, and adaptable foundation. Its versatility allows for both piloted and unmanned operation, ensuring a secure, certified, and gradual application in all types of airspace – including highly populated areas and in hostile environments.
The remotely piloted flight demonstration could be achieved in just six months, significantly faster than the 18-month timeframe outlined in the call for proposals.
Nicolas Chabbert, Senior Vice President of Daher’s Aircraft Division, stated: “With more than 30 years of experience with our TBM and Kodiak products, Daher is now a key strategic player in the development and delivery of MALE drones. We provide a sovereign, mature, and agile response to today’s strategic challenges.”
Pascal Laguerre, the Chief Technology Officer at Daher, added: “With our Plug & Fly drone solution, an existing aircraft can be rapidly converted into an autonomous or remotely piloted platform without rethinking the entire architecture. This approach simplifies integration and accelerates deployment – elements that are perfectly aligned with the French Ministry of Armed Forces’ expectations for responsiveness, modularity, and technological sovereignty.”
Comprehensive expertise for the defense sector
The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has been a long-standing partner of Daher across a wide range of areas, such as aircraft for liaison flights and training, maintenance of aircraft and helicopter fleets, and logistics.
Multi-mission aircraft and operational support
Daher’s TBM and Kodiak aircraft are lightweight, multi-mission platforms designed for challenging environments. The TBM 910 and TBM 960 versions are fast, reliable, and well-suited for liaison and coordination missions. The rugged and versatile Kodiak 100 and Kodiak 900 are used for transportation, medical evacuation, parachute drops, and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) operations.
Daher also provides long-term operational support for French government fleets, including maintenance and upgrades for TBM 700 and TBM 940 aircraft (for the Ministry of the Armed Forces), Écureuil helicopters (Gendarmerie), DHC-6 Twin Otters (French Air and Space Force), and Xingu aircraft used to train Air Force and Navy transport pilots.
An industrial partner to major defense players
In the industrial sector, Daher is active in both civil and military aerospace programs. The group brings its expertise in manufacturing and assembling composite and metal parts, integrated equipment, subassemblies, and large-scale assemblies (pre-final assembly line). Daher supports major industry players, including Dassault, Boeing, and Airbus Helicopters.
In parallel, Daher has developed unique expertise in designing and producing containers for the transport and storage of sensitive equipment, as well as tactical shelters for operational missions such as communications and radar surveillance. These offerings include MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) services that ensure durability and reliability. Daher serves key clients that include Dassault, Thales, Safran, and MBDA.
Services: training and operational readiness
Daher also offers a wide range of services in operational support, from the training of aviation specialists (mechanics, pilots, air traffic controllers), to providing technical assistance that ensures operational availability, as well as taking full or partial responsibility for maintaining the operational readiness (MCO) of aeronautical systems and equipment.
Logistics and transportation: comprehensive and secure solutions
Daher leverages its logistics expertise to serve defense stakeholders through inventory management, specialized packaging, and organizing both domestic and international transportation – including in overseas territories – with rapid intervention on industrial sites or military bases.
For more than 40 years, Daher has been a recognized specialist in supply chain services for armed forces and the defense industry, providing door-to-door solutions that meet stringent security, flexibility, and confidentiality requirements. Its global network of specialized agents handles cargo inspections, import/export formalities, and all transport modes (road, rail, air, sea). Daher conducts sensitive equipment shipments worldwide for such major clients as Dassault, Thales, Safran, and MBDA, and manages complex deployment and repatriation operations for international organizations (United Nations, NATO) and sovereign states.
Didier Kayat, the Daher Chairman and CEO, stated: “Daher is a trusted strategic partner to both French and international armed forces. For many years, we have built strong partnerships across all sectors of defense. Our historical values – sovereignty, responsiveness, adaptability and robustness –have earned us trust, which now is reaffirmed by the DGA. We are fully committed to delivering a drone that meets the highest standards of the French government and its allies.”
