Delair's new DT61 drone to guide infantry units through complex or dangerous zones.

At the 55th edition of the Paris Air Show, held from 16 to 22 June 2025, the French UAV manufacturer Delair officially introduced its new drone, the DT61, designed for long-range observation missions. The drone, which combines a fixed-wing design with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities, is Delair’s largest platform to date. The DT61 is intended for inspection and surveillance of large land and maritime areas in both civilian and military contexts.
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The DT61 has a maximum takeoff mass of 100 kg and supports a payload of up to 15 kg. Its VTOL architecture enables launch and recovery without a runway, using four vertical lift rotors combined with a fixed-wing airframe for horizontal flight. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The announcement follows the company's broader strategy to complete its drone portfolio by covering the entire 1 to 100 kg segment. The aircraft has been engineered to meet demands for high endurance, operational versatility, and modular payload integration, enabling its use in ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) missions in a wide range of operational environments.

The DT61 has a maximum takeoff mass of 100 kg and supports a payload of up to 15 kg. Its VTOL architecture enables launch and recovery without a runway, using four vertical lift rotors combined with a fixed-wing airframe for horizontal flight. The drone offers over seven hours of flight time and a communication range exceeding 100 kilometers. It can be deployed by two operators in less than 30 minutes and is transportable in a light utility vehicle such as a pickup truck. The system is designed for rapid deployment in environments without prepared infrastructure. The DT61 is compatible with multiple sensors, which can be installed simultaneously. These include cooled mid-wave infrared (MWIR) optronic systems for thermal imaging, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) with ground moving target indication (GMTI) for all-weather surface tracking, and electronic signals intelligence (SIGINT) payloads for electromagnetic spectrum monitoring. The integration of these modules allows for concurrent execution of various mission types during a single flight cycle.

The development of the DT61 was conducted in collaboration with two French companies: Aviation Design, which contributed to aerodynamic and mechanical aspects, and Shield Robotics, a subsidiary of Evotech Group, responsible for systems integration and flight testing. The design incorporates technologies and components already validated in earlier Delair systems. According to the company, the platform benefits from operational feedback collected from its customer base across multiple regions and sectors over the past 15 years. The DT61 is in its final qualification phase, with operational missions scheduled to begin in the second half of 2025 and commercialization expected by the end of the same year. Delair states that the new system represents a continuation of its strategy to cover the full range of tactical drone requirements across both public and private sectors.

Delair is headquartered in Labège, near Toulouse, and has additional facilities in Marseille, Grenoble, and Paris. The company currently employs more than 200 personnel. Its drone ecosystem includes four fixed-wing drones, three multirotor UAVs, and three loitering munitions, all operated through the DRAKO universal ground control station. The DT61 follows previous Delair products such as the DT46, which has been deployed aboard the French Navy’s amphibious helicopter carrier Tonnerre and evaluated in civil and military applications. Delair has been involved in national programs such as Colibri and Larinae, supplying observation drones and loitering munitions to the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and to Ukrainian forces. In March 2024, the company received an order for 100 drones for delivery to Ukraine. These contracts contribute to Delair’s integration within France’s defense industrial and technological base (BITD).

In parallel with the DT61 launch, Delair is also developing alternative propulsion variants of its DT46 tactical drone. Two new configurations were introduced at the Paris Air Show 2025: a hybrid-electric version, developed in cooperation with Ascendance under the DOC HR project, and a hydrogen-powered version supported by European Commission programs under DG DEFIS. The hybrid model uses the STERNA propulsion module and enables battery recharging during flight, extending VTOL endurance from 3 hours and 30 minutes to more than 5 hours and 30 minutes. These modifications are being tested at DGA Essais de Missiles in Biscarrosse and are targeted for maritime surveillance and missile range instrumentation missions. The DT46 hybrid variant is also being assessed for replacing some maritime patrol boat missions, due to its extended endurance and ability to operate from remote locations.

The DT46 has already been evaluated by the French Army's Section Technique de l’Armée de Terre (STAT), with two complete systems delivered for tactical assessment in 2024. These systems included two airframes, two ground control stations, and one antenna. The DT46 supports dual propulsion configurations: a VTOL mode for autonomous launch and landing, and a fixed-wing mode for longer-range missions using a ramp-assisted takeoff. In its fixed-wing configuration, the drone achieves up to seven hours of flight time. Its AES-256 encrypted communication links allow operations at distances exceeding 100 km and are compatible with fire control and tactical systems such as ATLAS and SCORPION. It complies with NATO STANAG 4609 standards and can be controlled via the DRAKO station. Additionally, the French Gendarmerie Nationale has decided to integrate the DT46 into its operations from mid-2025, following positive results from trials conducted by the SEDAME (Section d’Expérimentation Drone d’Endurance Moyenne), which evaluated its use in large-area surveillance and rapid response operations.

Beyond military applications, Delair’s UAVs are being employed in civilian contexts. In January 2024, the DT46 was used by Canadian nonprofit ECOGENE-21 to conduct a 150-kilometer BVLOS flight for medication delivery and biological sample retrieval in remote areas as part of a decentralized clinical trial. The DT46 LiDAR variant, equipped with YellowScan’s Voyager module and a high-resolution RGB camera, is also used for high-precision digital twin creation, topographic mapping, and inspection missions. This configuration was presented at INTERGEO 2024 and is designed to be field-deployable in under 15 minutes. The drone is interoperable with a wide range of payloads including EO/IR gimbals, LiDAR+RGB sensors, IMSI catchers, and SIGINT tools. It operates in temperatures ranging from -15°C to +50°C and wind speeds up to 35 knots. It is transportable in a light vehicle and meets ARP 4561 and DO-178 safety and regulatory standards for BVLOS operations.

According to Delair, company turnover increased from €10 million in 2023 to €30 million in 2024, with €60 million forecast for 2025 and a target of €100 million by 2027. The firm’s strategic growth includes both military contracts and civilian technology development. Through the InDRa project, supported by Bpifrance and the Occitanie regional government, Delair is working with Adagos and the Institut de Mathématiques de Toulouse to develop algorithms that could improve the energy efficiency of electric drones by up to 20 percent. These initiatives, coupled with the DT61’s scheduled entry into operational service and the company’s expanding presence in defense and civil markets, illustrate a strategic objective to offer non-import-dependent drone platforms within the European Union. The DT61 is therefore positioned to contribute to European sovereign UAV capabilities, alongside earlier systems like the DT46, while competing with platforms originating from the United States, China, and Israel.