The French Army is boosting the reconnaissance capabilities of its artillery units with the acquisition of Delair’s DT46 long-range drones.
The drone, prominently featured during the Eurosatory 2024 defense exhibition in Paris, is designed to monitor the airspace and provide early warnings of incoming threats.
It enhances the survivability of artillery units by allowing them to quickly reposition or take cover in case of an attack.
The uncrewed platform recently completed its tactical evaluation phase and will now undergo further performance tests to assess its resilience under extreme conditions.
It is unclear how many DT46s will be delivered to the French Army.
Features
The DT46 drone is capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), making it suitable for use in areas with limited space.
It can operate in diverse weather conditions — ranging from -15 to +50 degrees Celsius (5 to 122 Fahrenheit)
Deployable in 15 minutes, the platform boasts a flight endurance of six hours in fixed-wing mode and three and a half hours in VTOL mode.
It has a maximum payload capacity of 25 kilograms (55 pounds) and can fly up to 100 kilometers (62 miles).
Additionally, the DT46 is equipped with an advanced optronic pod, which has been used in Ukraine to aid surveillance and reconnaissance.
Once delivered, the drone is expected to extend the reach of French Army artillery units and enable them to accurately engage targets beyond line of sight.
