France orders 5,000 more soldier drones from Harmattan AI, its Dassault-backed unicorn
After 1,000 Sonora drones proved out in France's largest exercise since the Cold War, the DGA quintupled the order to 5,000, scaling its Dassault-backed national drone champion.
After 1,000 Sonora drones proved out in France's largest exercise since the Cold War, the DGA quintupled the order to 5,000, scaling its Dassault-backed national drone champion.
France's defense ministry has ordered 5,000 more Sonora reconnaissance drones from Harmattan AI, the army said Tuesday, Reuters reported, one of the country's largest small-drone buys to date.
The order quintuples an earlier deal. The Directorate General of Armaments signed its first contract with Harmattan in 2025 for 1,000 Sonora units, all delivered within six months and confirmed received on January 30, AeroTime wrote. The new batch follows Sonora's run through Exercise Orion 2026, the army's biggest maneuvers since the Cold War, staged from February 8 to April 30.
Sonora is a 1.8-kilogram quadcopter. It flies for about 40 minutes, ranges past two kilometers, and carries electro-optical and infrared sensors for day and night, per AeroTime. ZDNet pinned the optronics to French supplier Lynred and noted onboard AI. The plant behind it, a 6,000-square-meter site near Paris, can turn out up to 10,000 systems a month, Harmattan says. Founded in 2024, the firm is France's first defense unicorn, backed by a $200 million round led by Dassault Aviation. The Sonora contracts now account for roughly half the drones the DGA has placed this year, French outlets reported.
France wants 15,000 drones in army hands this year, but its land-forces chief, General Pierre Schill, told BFM Business there is "no question of buying millions like Ukraine," arguing the service should make only what France needs to defend itself. Where Kyiv has flooded the front with cheap first-person-view drones since 2022, the DGA is funding a single domestic supplier toward a production base it controls.
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Subscribe Free →Harmattan is already exporting that model. Last week it signed a strategic partnership with Morocco's armed forces to build autonomous air-defense systems on Moroccan soil, with a local plant and an AI research center. Whether a two-year-old company can deliver 5,000 airframes on top of the 1,000 already fielded, fast enough for an army that wants them now, is the next test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did France order from Harmattan AI?
France's army ministry ordered 5,000 additional Sonora reconnaissance drones from Harmattan AI, announced June 23, 2026, according to Reuters and AeroTime. It is one of France's largest small-drone purchases and quintuples an earlier 1,000-unit contract.
What is the Sonora drone?
Per AeroTime, Sonora is a roughly 1.8-kilogram quadcopter micro-drone with about 40 minutes of endurance and a range beyond two kilometers, fitted with electro-optical and infrared sensors. ZDNet reported it uses Lynred optronics and onboard AI for day and night surveillance.
Why did France place the new order now?
AeroTime reported the expanded order followed Sonora's deployment during Exercise Orion 2026, France's largest military exercise since the Cold War, which ran from February to April 2026. The DGA had already received the first 1,000 units on January 30.
Who is Harmattan AI?
According to Aviacionline, Harmattan AI was founded in 2024 and is France's first defense unicorn, supported by a $200 million funding round led by Dassault Aviation. It operates a 6,000-square-meter facility in the Paris region that it says can build up to 10,000 systems a month.
How does this compare with Ukraine's drone approach?
France's land-forces chief, General Pierre Schill, told BFM Business there is "no question of buying millions of drones like Ukraine," arguing France should produce only what it needs for its own defense rather than match Kyiv's mass FPV output.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.