New European combat drone is a step closer to taking flight

The Eurodrone program has successfully completed its Preliminary Design Review (PDR), a critical milestone in its development.

Led by Airbus Defence and Space as the prime contractor, this achievement was reached in collaboration with the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) and representatives from the four customer nations: France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Major subcontractors Airbus Defence and Space Spain, Dassault Aviation, and Leonardo also played integral roles.

The PDR confirms that the initial design of the Eurodrone has matured sufficiently to proceed to the detailed design phase. This progress is based on a series of technical assessments, including wind tunnel testing to validate the aerodynamic configuration, overall design evaluations to demonstrate operational capability, and the development of a fully representative Digital Twin. The Eurodrone program integrates both physical and digital design philosophies from its inception.

With the successful completion of the PDR, the Eurodrone program now advances towards the Critical Design Review (CDR). This next phase will finalize the architecture and system design, marking the last major step before production.

“Performing the Preliminary Design Review for the development of Eurodrone represents an important step forward for this key European defense program”, said Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Air Power at Airbus Defence and Space. “It shows a real joint effort and collaborative spirit from all industrial partners and the Customer community to ensure European sovereignty and independence in this critical segment of unmanned long endurance ISTAR capability.”

Equipped with innovative technology, the Eurodrone is designed to be a cornerstone of future combat air systems. It will play a crucial role in international conflict prevention and crisis management, providing operational superiority in Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions.