Daher and Thales Demonstrate EyePulse MALE Drone for French DGA

Daher and Thales Successfully Demonstrate EyePulse MALE Drone for French DGA

On December 2, 2025, Daher announced the successful flight demonstration of its EyePulse prototype, a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV developed in partnership with Thales. The demonstration took place at Daher’s industrial facility in Tarbes, France, marking a significant milestone in the company’s response to a call for projects from the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA).

According to the official press release, the project moved from contract signature to maiden flight in less than six months. This rapid development timeline was intended to showcase the agility of the Daher Group and its ability to meet the DGA’s objective of strengthening sovereign drone capabilities for the French armed forces. The flight was conducted in the presence of a DGA delegation, including Alexandre Lahousse, the agency’s Deputy Director General.

Rapid Prototyping and “Dronization”

The EyePulse project represents a strategic shift toward modifying certified civil aircraft for defense applications, a process often referred to as “dronization.” Rather than developing a new airframe from scratch, Daher utilized an existing platform to accelerate the integration process. While the press release describes the vehicle generally as an “existing platform,” industry data indicates the EyePulse is derived from Daher’s proven TBM single-engine turboprop series.

Daher’s Tarbes-based “Fly’in” technology center led the initiative, applying expertise in rapid prototyping, artificial intelligence, and embedded systems. By leveraging certified technologies from the civil sector, the company aimed to reduce the technical risks and long lead times typically associated with military procurement.

“The speed at which Daher implemented this demonstration illustrates the company’s agility. Its ability to use certified and proven technological building blocks for new applications greatly facilitates their integration in the defense sector.”

, Alexandre Lahousse, Senior General Engineer of Armament (IGCEA) and DGA Deputy Director General

Autonomous Flight and Avionics Integration

The flight demonstration featured a fully automated sequence, including an autonomous landing phase. As the project architect, Daher integrated the ScaleFlyt avionics system provided by its technology partner, Thales. This system is designed to enable automatic and autonomous flight capabilities while maintaining high safety standards derived from civil aviation certification.

Command and Control

Thales also developed the remote piloting control system, which established a secure ground-to-air data link for the demonstration. According to the release, the system utilizes a “technology-agnostic control principle,” making it interoperable with various systems beyond the EyePulse platform. During the event, the autonomous flight phase was activated from the ground station by IGCEA Alexandre Lahousse, highlighting the operational readiness of the interface.

Nicolas Chabbert, CEO of the Daher Aircraft division, emphasized the dual-use nature of the project in a statement:

“As a partner of the armed forces for more than 30 years, Daher is leveraging its innovation capabilities and dual-use industrial expertise to fully contribute to the transformation of France’s defense capabilities… This EyePulse flight demonstration confirms the relevance of our approach and our ability to scale up production.”

, Nicolas Chabbert, CEO of Daher Aircraft Division

Strategic Context: The DGA Call for Projects

The EyePulse demonstration is part of a broader initiative by the French Ministry of Armed Forces to develop sovereign MALE drone capabilities. The DGA launched this call for projects to identify cost-effective, rapidly deployable solutions that can reduce reliance on foreign-manufactured systems. By selecting multiple competitors to produce demonstrators, the DGA aims to foster innovation within the French industrial base.

Daher positions the EyePulse as a modular solution capable of evolving to meet changing operational doctrines. The company asserts that its industrial capacity in France allows for the potential series production of drones, aligning with the government’s desire for sovereign supply chains.

AirPro News Analysis

The successful flight of the EyePulse highlights a growing trend in the defense sector: the adaptation of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) platforms for military roles. By utilizing the TBM airframe, a globally certified aircraft known for its speed and payload capacity, Daher significantly de-risked the aerodynamic and structural aspects of the program. This allows the development team to focus almost exclusively on the integration of mission systems and autonomous flight controls.

For the French DGA, this approach offers a potential “middle ground” between expensive, custom-built military drones and smaller, tactical UAVs. If the EyePulse can deliver MALE-class endurance with the logistical footprint of a general aviation turboprop, it could provide a highly exportable asset that circumvents the rigorous certification hurdles facing entirely new unmanned airframes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the EyePulse drone?

EyePulse is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone demonstrator developed by Daher and Thales. It is based on a modified TBM aircraft platform.

Who are the partners involved?

Daher serves as the project leader and aircraft manufacturer, while Thales provides the avionics, ground control station, and secure data links.

What was the purpose of the demonstration?

The flight aimed to prove Daher’s ability to rapidly convert a certified civil aircraft into an autonomous drone to meet the French DGA’s requirements for sovereign defense capabilities.

When did the flight take place?

The successful flight demonstration occurred on December 2, 2025, at the Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport in France.

Sources

• Daher Website