The French Ministry of Armed Forces has ordered the VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) version of the Aliaca from Airbus Helicopters. Deliveries are set to begin in May 2026.
The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has ordered the new vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) version of the Aliaca from Airbus Helicopters (via its subsidiary Survey Copter) under the SMDM – Shipborne Mini UAV Systems for the Navy programme. Delivery of the systems in their new configuration is planned to begin from May 2026, following the completion of the qualification campaign.
Since 2022, the DGA has ordered a total of 34 Aliaca systems for the French Navy.
“The VTOL Version Will Increase Operational Flexibility”
Commenting on the matter, Airbus Helicopters Aliaca Programme Director Christophe Canguilhem said:
“We are proud to be delivering the VTOL version of the Aliaca to the French Navy for the first time. The French Navy has been successfully operating the Aliaca from ships and from land for years. This system, referred to as SMDM, has fully demonstrated its potential in operations.
With the VTOL version, the Aliaca will offer much greater flexibility in use. This evolution within the initial contract shows that our solution has now matured and is ready for customers worldwide.”
Tested on Land and at Sea
The Aliaca VTOL has undergone extensive testing on land and at sea since the last quarter of 2024 and throughout 2025. Introduced in April 2025, the system was developed in less than a year from the fixed-wing version that is already operationally proven within the French Navy.
While featuring four rotors enabling vertical take-off and landing, the Aliaca VTOL continues to use its fixed-wing propulsion system during the mission.
Technical Specifications
The key technical specifications of the Aliaca VTOL are as follows:
- Maximum take-off weight: 25 kg
- Wingspan: 3.5 metres
- Length: 2.1 metres
- Endurance: 2 hours
- Range: 50 km
The system is equipped with a high-performance gyrostabilised electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera and an Automatic Identification System (AIS) capable of identifying vessels within a radius of hundreds of kilometres.
Faster Deployment, Lower Logistics Footprint
This new evolution of the SMDM maintains the performance and architecture of the existing system, while enabling faster deployment and a smaller logistics footprint by eliminating the need for launch and recovery systems. Operators will continue to use the same ground control station that has already been proven and widely accepted.
The French Navy’s “Remote Binoculars”
Approved by the DGA and described since 2022 as the French Navy’s “remote binoculars”, the SMDM system is actively used on:
- Offshore patrol vessels (PHM)
- Overseas patrol vessels (POM)
- Surveillance frigates
Since the summer of 2023, it has also been deployed from the French coastline for search and rescue missions in the English Channel.
New Missions and Expanding Operational Use
With the entry into service of the VTOL version, the system is planned to be used on other French Navy vessels for missions such as:
- Tactical situational awareness
- Combating illegal activities
- Maritime traffic and coastal surveillance
- Search and rescue
Detection of suspicious behaviour
In the long term, land-based operation is also targeted to support the coastal surveillance network.
The new configuration will undergo a qualification process by the DGA in early 2026, including land and sea trials. During this period, the existing fixed-wing SMDM version will continue to be operated on equipped vessels for at least another seven years.
