France’s Defence Aeronautical Maintenance Directorate has placed an additional order with Airbus Helicopters for the U050 Capa-X tactical drone after evaluating an initial system under the SDTL programme. The contract covers four systems, or eight drones in total, with two systems allocated to the French Navy and two to the French Army, and deliveries are scheduled for 2027.
The order follows land and sea trials conducted in 2025 and early 2026, during which the initial configuration was assessed by French forces. Airbus has positioned the U050 Capa-X as a lightweight tactical uncrewed system with a small logistics footprint, intended for operational use after the successful evaluations.
The drone has a maximum take-off mass of 120 kg, an operational range of up to 100 km and an endurance of up to 10 hours. The evaluation configuration recorded seven hours of endurance and carried electro-optical and signals intelligence payloads, with capacity reserved for additional sensors later. Airbus did not disclose the contract value.