The French Navy will begin deploying the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) version of Airbus Helicopters' U010 Aliaca unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aboard its metropolitan support and assistance ships (BSAM) in late 2026, Airbus said earlier this month.
The original Aliaca order placed by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) covered 34 systems comprising 68 drones. Delivery has been completed for 27 systems, and the remaining seven are due before 2026 ends.
"The DGA was convinced by the vertical take-off version and asked us to deliver all seven remaining systems in this VTOL configuration," said Maxime Caille, Director of the U010 Aliaca programme at Airbus Helicopters.
The VTOL variant does away with the catapult launch and recovery net required by the original UAV. It was developed after the navy asked to operate the drone from smaller host vessels lacking space for handling equipment.
The Naval Aviation Practical Trials and Acceptance Centre conducted shipboard trials in 2024 and 2025 aboard a BSAM that was not originally intended to operate drones.
"Pre-flight preparation takes just a few minutes, and the drone can also be launched in sea conditions that previously would have prevented a safe net recovery," navy spokespeople said.
The modified UAV will have a new wing design and revised fuselage but will retain the original autopilot and data link.
Each system comprises two aircraft and a ground control station. Take-off and landing are automated, and live video from a 30x zoom electro-optical/infrared turret is streamed to the host vessel's operations room.
Aliaca has a maximum take-off weight of 25 kg, a wingspan of 3.6 metres, and a length of 2.2 metres. The electric version offers up to three hours' endurance and a 50-kilometre data-link range, while the hybrid version offers up to six hours’ endurance and a 100-kilometre radius of operation.
The navy first operated the catapult-launched Aliaca on an offshore patrol vessel in 2019 and ordered additional systems in 2020. Beginning in 2022, deliveries went to offshore patrol vessels, with surveillance frigates and new overseas patrol vessels also receiving systems.