Derived from the MCR-4S, the DRIADE, light MALE drone, is of interest to the DGA.
On display for the first time at the Paris Air Show (June 16-22, 2025), the DRIADE drone, an autonomous aircraft derived from the MCR-4S single-engine light aircraft designed by Dyn’AERO in the 1990’s, has just been awarded an evaluation contract by the French defense procurement agency (DGA). A major step forward for this very promising program !
The contract, signed on June 17, 2025 in the presence of the French Minister of Defense, Mr. Lecornu, covers an evaluation of the DRIADE by the French Defense Procurement Agency (Direction Générale de l’Armement – DGA), and will help define the real capabilities, and in particular its performance (autonomy, payload, take-off or landing distance, etc.).
The prototype, the construction of which began at the start of the year, is now ready to fly and could make its maiden flight at the end of the summer. It will therefore be used as part of this evaluation, which should take place at the end of 2025.
The DRIADE’s team has selected the best equipments : it is equipped with the most efficient inflight variable pitch propeller on the market, GLORIEUSE, full carbon with Titanium leading edge protection, only 4 kg all inclusive.
The SE Aviation group is confident: “The UAV’s piloting system has been tested on a production MCR, and as far as the DRIADE’s flying qualities are concerned, we’re relying on those of the MCR, its hundreds of examples in flight and its 20,000 hours of flight experience”, explains Eric Fumey, head of SE Aviation. The DRIADE, a light MALE drone, can be used for marine search, surveillance, reconnaissance and forest fire-fighting missions.
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