Photo: Airbus Helicopters The French Directorate General of Armament (DGA) has placed an order with
Airbus Helicopters, acting through its Survey Copter subsidiary, for a new vertical take‑off and landing (VTOL) variant of the SMDM onboard mini‑drone system. This latest version of the Aliaca unmanned aircraft will enter a qualification campaign before deliveries to the French Navy begin in May 2026. Since 2022, the DGA has ordered 34 Aliaca systems for naval deployment.
Developed from the fixed‑wing Aliaca already in service, the VTOL model was trialled on land and at sea across late 2024 and throughout 2025. The new configuration incorporates four vertical‑lift propellers enabling autonomous take‑off and landing, while maintaining fixed‑wing propulsion during flight. The aircraft has a maximum take‑off weight of 25kg, a 3.5m wingspan and a length of 2.1m. Endurance is two hours with an operational range of 50km. Onboard equipment includes a camera, a high‑performance gyro‑stabilised EO/IR sensor, and an ‘Automatic Identification System’ capable of detecting vessels at extended distances. The system retains the existing SMDM ground station, reducing training and support requirements while eliminating the need for launch and recovery hardware.
Christophe Canguilhem, Aliaca programme director at Airbus Helicopters, said: “We are proud to be able to deliver the VTOL version of the Aliaca to the French Navy for the first time. The French Navy has successfully operated the Aliaca from its ships and from land for several years. The SMDM, as it is named in the French Navy, has demonstrated its full potential in operation. With the VTOL version, the French Navy will be able to operate the Aliaca with even more flexibility. This amendment to the initial contract demonstrates that our solution is now mature and available for our customers worldwide.”
The SMDM has been operational since 2022 and is used by the French Navy as a long‑range reconnaissance tool, described as ‘remote binoculars’ for its patrol vessels and surveillance frigates. Since mid‑2023, it has also been deployed for coastal search‑and‑rescue missions in the English Channel. The VTOL configuration will extend the system’s use to additional naval platforms, supporting missions such as maritime surveillance, illegal‑activity detection, tactical situational awareness and search and rescue. In the longer term, the system is expected to be integrated into land‑based coastal monitoring operations.
Qualification trials for the VTOL system will begin in early 2026 across both land and maritime environments. The existing fixed‑wing configuration will remain in service for at least another seven years on currently equipped vessels.