Europe’s medium altitude long endurance remotely piloted aerial system (MALE RPAS), aka Eurodrone, has advanced to the prototype production stage following the completion of its critical design review (CDR).
The development concludes the design phase, allowing for the commencement of prototype manufacturing and ground tests in preparation for the initial flight.
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The activities “will confirm Eurodrone’s place as a cornerstone of Europe’s next-generation air power”.
Preliminary design review of the aircraft was completed in May 2024.
The MALE RPAS programme was launched in 2016 with Germany, France, Italy, and Spain as the primary stakeholders, and it is managed by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR).
Earlier in 2025, India joined Japan as an observer state for the programme, a status granted to non-member countries wishing to engage in the activities managed by OCCAR.
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By GlobalDataDesigned and developed by Airbus Defence & Space, Leonardo and Dassault Aviation, Eurodrone is an uncrewed aircraft intended for long-duration intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions.
The system marks a significant step as the first fully European MALE RPAS. Its architecture includes advanced technologies to ensure secure transmission of mission-critical data between operational units.
Certified in accordance with Nato STANAG 4671 Ed. 3 and relevant sections of civil aircraft regulations, Eurodrone will enable the system to operate unrestricted and follow optimised flight paths in non-segregated airspace.
The aircraft is equipped with advanced sensors and offers a maximum mission payload capacity of 2.3 tonnes (t), excluding fuel, alongside an endurance of up to 40 hours, according to Airbus.
