ENBATA Enters Defense Sector As Medium Altitude Long Endurance Drone

AURA AERO, an aircraft manufacturer based in Toulouse, France, announced the launch of its new ENBATA, a new low-cost high performance Medium Altitude Long Endurance, or MALE drone, representing the company’s entrance into the defense sector.

The French General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) requested the development of the ENBATA to fill the gap between small tactical UAVs such as Survey Copter’s Aliaca and large  platforms like General Atomics’ MQ-9 Reaper.

AURA AERO co-founder and CEO Jérémy Caussade explained, “This is not an opportunistic response to the war in Ukraine. We’re building a solid industrial base to deliver a certifiable, sovereign, and affordable platform.”

The ENBATA has  an endurance of up to 55 hours at a max takeoff weight of two tons and a payload capacity of 1.2 tons. The company says it promises “half the performance of a Reaper for one-fifth the cost.”

AURA AERO plans to seek certification by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for dual-use missions in both the civilian and military markets. The company also plans to announce a partnership with the UAE for production of the drone while maintaining its IP or intellectual property in France.

The ENBATA joins a growing segment of French-developed MALE drones which includes Turgis & Gaillard’s Aarok, unveiled at the Paris Air Show in 2023, said to be comparable to the Reaper with a 22-meter wingspan, 5.5 ton MTOW, and 1.5 ton payload cap.

AURA AERO sees ENBATA as the start of developing a broader product lineup in unmanned vehicles, with future plans for high-altitude drones and remote carrier ideas.

FMI:  aura-aero.com/