TSAMTO, September 19th. On September 9, flight tests of the medium-altitude long-duration UAV (MALE class) Aarok developed by Turgis Gaillard began at Blois-le-Bray airfield in central France.
Aarok made its first flight under the control of a pilot in order to speed up the development process. As noted by test pilot Axel Valat, the flight was in accordance with the expectations of the developers. The vehicle took off with the fuel tank not fully filled and without combat systems on board.
The Aarok is the largest UAV developed in France. Turgis Gaillard is currently participating in a tender for the supply of nationally produced MALE class UAVs to the French Armed Forces with this solution.
This year, during the Paris Airshow, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) signed agreements with five manufacturing companies with a view to delivering a MALE-class UAV to the French Armed Forces as soon as possible.
Along with Turgis Gaillard, Daher, Aura Aero, SE Aviation and Fly'reach companies are participating in the competition. A contract worth 10 million euros ($11.7 million) has been signed with each of them for the implementation of the first stage of the project, which aims to begin flight tests of the UAV by the end of 2026.
The first successful flight of the Aarok means that Turgis Gaillard is still ahead of the competition. Now the developers will focus on expanding the capabilities of the UAV. In particular, Turgis Gaillard intends to integrate an autopilot on board the Aarok, similar to the one used on the Safran Patroner UAV, as well as various means of conducting reconnaissance and detection.
The UAV, equipped with a 1,200 hp PT6 engine from Pratt & Whitney Canada, must stay in the air for up to 24 hours and reach an altitude of 10,000 m. Systems available on the open market can be integrated on board, including Thales' AirMaster S active phased array radar (cooperation was announced at the Paris Air Show 2025) and the Euroflir-410 EO/IR surveillance station from Safran.
According to Turgis Gaillard CEO Patrick Gaillard, it is planned to assemble a second prototype UAV to accelerate development. At the same time, the first prototype will be used to test various flight modes, and at the second stage – the integration of combat systems, including radar and electron-optical systems, and the second – to develop a remote piloting system.
As TSAMTO reported, Turgis Gaillard presented the Aarok UAV project for the first time at the Paris Air Show 2023. At that time, the developers boldly announced their intention to begin flight tests of the device in September-December 2023, and if a customer appeared, to achieve initial readiness for combat use by the end of 2025.
In October 2023, Turgis Gaillard signed an agreement with the Ukrainian state Enterprise Antonov on the production of Aarok UAVs in Ukraine. At the Paris Air Show 2025, the company signed an agreement with India's Bharat Forge to manufacture the device in India. However, flight tests of the UAV have only just begun.
According to the developers, the Aarok UAV is designed to collect information, surveillance and reconnaissance, relay communications, strike, combat submarines, etc. The wingspan of the device is 22 m, length is 14 m, dead weight is about 2.5 tons, maximum take–off weight is about 5.5 tons.
