Toulouse-based aircraft manufacturer Aura Aero has unveiled ENBATA, a new “low-cost high-performance” MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drone, marking its formal entry into the defense sector.
The news was first reported by OpexNews in an exclusive interview with Aura Aero CEO and co-founder Jérémy Caussade.
Developed at the request of the French General Directorate of Armaments (DGA), ENBATA aims to bridge the gap between small tactical UAVs like Survey Copter’s Aliaca and larger platforms like the MQ-9 Reaper.
“This is not an opportunistic response to the war in Ukraine,” Caussade told OpexNews. “We’re building a solid industrial base to deliver a certifiable, sovereign, and affordable platform.”
The drone has a maximum takeoff weight of two tons, a payload capacity of 1.2 tons, and an endurance of up to 55 hours, promising “half the performance of a Reaper for one-fifth the cost.”
EASA certification will enable ENBATA for dual-use missions in military and civilian sectors. Aura aims to announce an industrial partnership with the UAE at the 2025 Paris Air Show, while maintaining its intellectual property in France.
ENBATA is viewed as the starting point of a broader unmanned portfolio for Aura Aero, with plans for future high-altitude drones and remote carrier concepts.
AeroTime visited Aura Aero’s facilities at Toulouse-Francazal Airport in southern France in December 2024, where we interviewed Caussade about the company’s broader ambitions and engineering expertise.
French MALE drone ecosystem grows with ENBATA and Aarok
ENBATA now joins a small but growing cadre of French-developed MALE drones. Among them is the Aarok, developed by Turgis & Gaillard, first unveiled at the Paris Air Show in June 2023.
With a 22-meter wingspan, 5.5-ton MTOW, and a 1.5-ton payload capacity, the Aarok is designed for ISR, strike, and maritime missions. Its endurance is poised to exceed 24 hours, and it will feature satellite communications.
Comparable to the US MQ-9 Reaper, which is already in service with the French armed forces, the Aarok offers a lighter and potentially more cost-effective alternative to the long-winded Eurodrone program. Following successful taxi trials in January 2025, the Aarok is expected to conduct its first test flight during the 2025 Paris Air Show.
