Primarily based on Daher’s TBM turboprop plane and geared up with avionics and management programs by Thales, EyePulse was introduced to the French Directorate Basic of Armaments.
French aerospace firm Daher introduced on Dec. 2, 2025 the completion of a flight demonstration of its EyePulse MALE (Medium-Altitude Lengthy Endurance) uncrewed aerial system. The proof-of-concept flight demonstration passed off on Nov. 27 on the firm’s facility in Tarbes, in France, with the system introduced to France’s Directorate Basic of Armaments (DGA).
EyePulse was developed inside six months in partnership with Thales, following a name for tasks by the DGA to quickly strengthen drone capabilities. The milestone confirmed Daher Group’s “potential to behave rapidly and reply to the wants of protection stakeholders,” mentioned the corporate.
In accordance with AviationWeek, Daher carried out six flights with EyePulse earlier than the presentation to DGA officers. Additionally, Daher Plane CEO Nicolas Chabbert emphasised the presentation passed off lower than six months after the signing ceremony, although DGA gave contributors 18 months.
“By creating a MALE drone demonstrator prototype in lower than six months – in partnership with Thales – Daher has fulfilled its commitments and confirmed its potential to fulfill the DGA’s goal of quickly strengthening drone capabilities for the French armed forces and for export,” mentioned the corporate in its press launch.
↪️ La DGA accélère le développement des drones MALE dans la continuité de la Conference signée avec @DAHER_official au @parisairshow 2025 pour notamment
➡️ favoriser l’émulation entre des industriels complémentaires➡️ soutenir la réalisation de démonstrateurs pic.twitter.com/gWaAJCsKV4
— Course générale de l’armement 🇫🇷 (@DGA) December 2, 2025
France’s DGA additional mentioned that the demonstration flight adopted the settlement signed throughout this 12 months’s version of the Paris Air Present. The objective was to “promote emulation amongst complementary industrial gamers” and “assist the conclusion of demonstrators.”
EyePulse
The EyePulse relies on Daher’s TBM turboprop plane which, in response to AviationWeek, was modified in response to the DGA’s RFP (Request for Proposal) for the MALE drone demonstration. The RFP intends to guage present trade merchandise and capabilities, presumably informing future last procurement plans and configurations.
Daher was chosen in June, together with 4 extra firms – Aura Aero, Fly-R, SE Aviation and Turgis Gaillard. Daher defined that Thales provided its proprietary SkyFlyt avionics system, along with the requisite knowledge hyperlink and floor management station.
For security causes, two pilots current onboard through the demonstration to the DGA. Alexandre Lahousse, Senior Basic Engineer of Armament – Distinctive Class (IGCEA), who’s the DGA’s Deputy Director Basic was at Daher’s facility, accompanied by a DGA delegation.
As soon as airborne, Lahousse activated the autonomous section of the flight with out man-in-the-loop management. Aviation Week additional reported that an electro-optical turret was locked onto a set floor goal, and the autonomous flight included automated cruise flight, descent, method and touchdown.
Following contact down on the runway, the human crew took management once more to taxi the plane and clear the runway, Chabbert mentioned.
🚀@DAHER_official efficiently accomplished the primary flight of EyePulse, its MALE drone prototype !Purpose: strengthen the @Armee_de_lair French Armed Forces’ drone capabilities.👉Integration of @thalesgroup‘s ScaleFlyt know-how📢Extra information right here: @DGA pic.twitter.com/z8qxEH49Et
— Daher (@DAHER_official) December 2, 2025
The autonomous/semi-autonomous functionality is significant in a heavy digital warfare and jamming state of affairs, the place radio or satellite tv for pc management indicators are extremely weak. Attritable UAVs on present platforms that may be mass produced provide low cost and protected capabilities starting from persistent ISR, communications relay, early warning and even concentrating on data on hostile enemy belongings.
In its last configuration for the navy MALE ISR drone, the TBM plane will be geared up with longer wings providing larger raise and better cruise altitude, whereas the passenger seats could possibly be eliminated to put in further gasoline tanks and supply larger vary. For a STOL (Brief Take-Off Touchdown) functionality and larger payload, Daher might pitch its Kodiak utility plane, and the corporate can work with different flight management and UAV know-how suppliers, beside Thales, relying on the capabilities required.
In accordance with DefenseNews, the unique DGA contract signed in July, on the sidelines of the Paris Air Present, was motivated by the necessity for a “low-cost resolution to plug a functionality hole in unmanned aerial surveillance and light-weight assault.” “These initiatives are a part of an effort to adapt navy capabilities to fulfill evolving threats,” the DGA mentioned in a press release, including that the drones “play a necessary function in fashionable battle zones.”
The agreements mark “a decisive step in accelerating the MALE drone technique of the Armed Forces Ministry,” the DGA assertion reads. “They may make it attainable to create the very best operational resolution whereas respecting time and price constraints.”
‘Prepared platform and dependable know-how’
“Primarily based on licensed and confirmed applied sciences within the civil sector, this flight illustrates Daher’s expertise, agility, and the effectivity of its industrial capabilities,” Daher’s assertion defined. “The Group leveraged its plane manufacturing know-how – in addition to its civil aviation competencies, approvals, and authorizations – to develop EyePulse. Daher’s Tarbes-based Fly’in know-how heart utilized its capabilities in fast prototyping, engineering, synthetic intelligence and embedded programs testing to attain the fast integration of Thales know-how into the MALE demonstrator.”
With its modular design and interoperable applied sciences, the EyePulse drone will be capable of evolve in assembly the wants of armed forces and adapt to totally different specs, whereas aligning with repeatedly evolving operational doctrines.
In accordance with Nicolas Chabbert, CEO of the Daher Group’s Daher Plane division, Daher leveraged its expertise of over 30 years as a companion of the French Armed Forces and innovation in “dual-use industrial” know-how and experience “to completely contribute to the transformation of France’s protection capabilities.”
“We’re mobilizing our abilities and sources to organize for the collection manufacturing of drones. This EyePulse flight demonstration confirms the relevance of our method and our potential to scale up manufacturing,” Chabbert added.
