The Renault Group has confirmed concrete plans to enter the production of military drones. In collaboration with the defense company Turgis Gaillard and with the support of the French Ministry of Defense, the automotive group will produce long-range drones of the „Chorus“ type at its plants in Le Mans and Cléon, which can be used for both reconnaissance missions and as combat weapons. The project aims to produce up to 600 units per month.

This has the potential to create a win-win-win situation. While European automakers and suppliers are facing declining production numbers and low utilization rates, unmanned system (UxS) manufacturers are often struggling to build manufacturing capacities. National governments, on the other hand, have a vital interest in both upgrading their arsenal of uncrewed systems and stabilizing faltering industrial sectors to secure jobs.

Industrial promotion

Reports last summer indicated that the French government had contacted large industrial companies to leverage their expertise and unused production capacities in cooperation with companies in the unmanned systems sector. The apparent goal is to accelerate the establishment of a French drone industry. Fabrice Cambolive (Chief Growth Officer, Renault Group) confirmed in an interview with the French news broadcaster BFM TV that the French Ministry of Defense had reached out to Renault because of its industrial expertise in series production to build a national drone industry.

Cooperation with Turgis Gaillard will lead to the production of Chorus-type military drones at Renault. This unmanned aerial vehicle is intended for reconnaissance and combat operations, comparable to the Iranian Shahed drones. With a total length of about 10 meters, the Choru…