Best Drones Companies in France
The 126 best Drones companies in France in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Parrot.
France's drone sector has 126 tracked companies and $419M in disclosed funding behind them, making this ranking of Drones companies in France by equity raised and recent momentum one of the more substantial snapshots you'll find in European deep tech.
Parrot dominates the funding picture at $320M, a figure that dwarfs every other name on this list combined. Drone Volt sits second at $20M, Donecle at $7M, and the rest of the field is working with single-digit millions or less. So what's actually driving capital here? The [global drone market was valued at roughly $4.4B in 2020 and is forecast to reach $5.4B by 2027 at a 10.44% CAGR](https://imarcgroup.com), pulled forward by construction, agriculture, and non-military applications. I'd note the sector trend is shifting hard toward defense utility, with autonomous reconnaissance and electronic warfare themes generating outsized coverage right now, including FPV strikes hitting Russian air bases drawing global attention in mid-2026. Bpifrance and Starburst are among the most active backers in this cohort, which tells you the institutional appetite for French drone infrastructure is real and not purely speculative.
- ResearchAndMarkets.com
- IMARC Group
Our analysis of 50 Drones companies
$8.9b in tracked funding; 92% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2025.
Ranked: Best Drones companies in France
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founder | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parrot Manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles and related software and solutions | $320M | 115 mo ago | 542 | Christine Tourvel Co-Founder | DiscourseRubyRuby on Rails+11 | 615 patents Advanced consumer drone flight control, stabilization, and liquid lens imaging technologies. | 3 launchs · 1 award |
| 2 | Drone Volt UAV manufacturer for professional uses 60Product top 19%Funding top 30%Innovation top 38%Talent top 38% All 10 signals ▾Producttop 19% Fundingtop 30% Innovationtop 38% Talenttop 38% Globaltop 41% Techtop 45% Markettop 48% Newstop 48% Growthbottom 47% Partnersbottom 34% Product: 3 distinct product lines · Company stage: Public Funding: Raised $19.6M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 9 yrs (0.3/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 60/100 | $20M | 1 mo ago | — | Dimitri Batsis Founder | WordPressMySQLPHP+35 | — | 1 launch · 3 partnerships |
| 3 | Delair Aerial-imagery services using proprietary drones | $17M | 72 mo ago | 105 | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+31 | 2 patents Improved fixed-wing drone control and autonomous landing systems. | 1 partnership |
| 4 | Elistair Manufacturer of tethered drone systems for surveillance and communication applications | $8M | 32 mo ago | 50 | Guilhem de Marliave Co-Founder & CEO | WordPressMySQLZoho+25 | 27 patents Wire‑connected drone power and docking protection systems for autonomous landing | — |
| 5 | CerbAir Provider of technology for real-time detection and neutralization of drones | $8M | 54 mo ago | 33 | — | WebflowVimeocore-js+14 | — | — |
| 6 | XSun Provider of solar-powered autonomous UAVs for multiple applications | $8M | 45 mo ago | 21 | Benjamin David XSun CEO | WordPressMySQLPHP+14 | 7 patents Solar-powered tandem‑wing aerial drones integrating photovoltaic cells for sustained flight | — |
| 7 | Azur Drones Provider of drone flight solutions using proprietary drones | $8M | 41 mo ago | 75 | — | WordPress Block EditorWordPressMySQL+20 | 12 patents Automated parachute health monitoring, drone charging/landing systems, restricted‑area surveillance. | 1 partnership |
| 8 | Donecle Provider of automated drone-based inspection solutions for aircraft and aerospace components 35Talent top 28%Product top 30%Funding top 38%Moat top 38% All 10 signals ▾Talenttop 28% Producttop 30% Fundingtop 38% Moattop 38% Innovationtop 39% Patentstop 41% Newsbottom 45% Globalbottom 40% Marketbottom 35% Techbottom 15% Talent: 4 named leaders on record · 4 C-suite/founder profiles curated Product: 12 distinct product lines · Company stage: Series B rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 35/100 | $7M | 2 mo ago | 22 | Matthieu Claybrough Co-Founder | — | 31 patents Autonomous aerial 3D surface mapping and inspection for industrial asset monitoring | — |
| 9 | Abelio Provider of tech-enabled farming services to farmers and cooperatives | $4M | 33 mo ago | 25 | Gregoire Dupre CEO | WordPressMySQLPHP+22 | — | — |
| 10 | UAVIA Provider of autonomous drone operations platform for industrial use | $2M | 54 mo ago | 36 | Pierre Vilpoux Chairman & CEO | WordPress Block EditorWordPressMySQL+17 | 27 patents Autonomous drones integrating wind sensors, navigation data conversion, and command/video telemetry. | 1 launch |
| 11 | Alta Ares Developer of AI-powered drone detection and recognition solutions | $2M | 13 mo ago | — | Stanislas Walch Co-Founder & COO | WordPressMySQLPHP+16 | — | 2 partnerships |
| 12 | AIRINOV Manufactures drones for vegetation sensing and irrigation system monitoring | $2M | 156 mo ago | 22 | — | — | 6 patents Patents concentrated in computing, sensing & instrumentation | — |
| 13 | Sterblue Developer of a platform to automate the inspection by drones for utility companies | $2M | 90 mo ago | 10 | Nicolas Draber Co-Founder & COO | — | 3 patents Autonomous UAV VTOL platforms and endurance drones for complex environment operations | — |
| 14 | Hélicéo Builds UAVs and UAV systems | $2M | 124 mo ago | 11 | — | Cart FunctionalityWordPressDrupal+15 | — | — |
| 15 | Xamen Technologies Designs and builds drones for commercial and security applications | $1M | 130 mo ago | 8 | Philippe Barthomeuf Founder & President | — | — | — |
| 16 | SkyVisor Provider of drone based autonomous industrial inspection tool for wind turbines and solar plants | $1M | 18 mo ago | 7 | Fabien Sauvage Co-Founder & CTO | — | — | 1 partnership |
| 17 | Fly-n-Sense Micro and Mini UAV systems for civil and defense applications | $1M | 144 mo ago | 16 | Christophe Mazel CEO | — | — | — |
| 18 | SupAirVision Provider of AI, cloud, and drone-based wind turbine monitoring solutions | $1M | 54 mo ago | 10 | Sebastien Arnould Founder & CEO | UbuntuAnimate.cssTailwind CSS+14 | 9 patents UAV contact‑based structural measurement and composite material defect detection systems | 1 job opening · 1 award |
| 19 | Air Marine Provider of aerial operations using drones and airplanes | $959K | 116 mo ago | 27 | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | Novadem Developer of micro-UAVs for applications in surveillance and reconnaissance | $762K | 66 mo ago | 11 | Pascal Zunino Founder & CEO | WordPressMySQLPHP+19 | 2 patents Aircraft observation systems with electronic control of image capture and transmission | — |
| 21 | Tornyol Manufacturer of autonomous micro-drones | $500K | 8 mo ago | — | Clovis Piedallu Co-Founder | Radix UIReactReact Router+10 | — | — |
| 22 | AERACCESS Provider of military grade UAV products and services | $265K | 97 mo ago | 12 | Shehzaad Callachand Founder & CEO | — | 2 patents Rotary‑wing drones featuring movable arm mechanisms for payload manipulation | — |
| 23 | DIODON Drone Technology Develops inflatable quadcopter drones for commercial and military purposes | $250K | 30 mo ago | 13 | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+21 | 17 patents Inflatable UAV airframes and sealed waterproof high‑energy batteries for drones | 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 24 | Hyperion Seven Provider of secure tethered drone systems for aerial filming and surveillance | $156K | 64 mo ago | — | Olivier Nier CEO | — | — | — |
Top 12 Drones companies in France
#1
Public · Villepinte, Ile de France · founded 2011$19.6Mraised▾
DRONEVOLT designs and manufactures drones for professional purposes. The company is present in France,Canada and Denmark.Its customers include TF1, France TV, Bouygues, CNRS, Figaro, the Ministry of Defense, SPIE, RAID etc. DRONEVOLT is also a service provider of aerial photography by drone and is also present in many other fields such as security, inspection etc.The company is developing sector-specific drones adapted to many sectors such as television, cinema, architecture, engineering structure control etc. It also has a pilot training center for professional drone. It filed IPO in April 2015.
- May 2026Post IPO$3.6M
- Jul 2025Post IPO$11.7M
- Dec 2017Post IPO$4.4M
#2
Series B · Labege, Occitanie · founded 2015 · 22 employees$6.9Mraised▾
Provider of automated drone-based inspection solutions for aircraft and aerospace components. The company offers a system using autonomous drones and image analysis for defect detection. This technology supports inspections of aircraft, landing gear, and engines. The solution aims to improve inspection speed, consistency, and traceability. It provides digital records and reporting capabilities for various inspection types.
- Apr 2026Series B$11.8M
- Oct 2023Series A$5.9M
- Jan 2019Grant (prize money)$574.6K
- 2016Seed$1.1M
#3
Seed · Romainville, Ile de France · founded 2024$2.2Mraised▾
Developer of AI-powered drone detection and recognition solutions. These solutions enhance operational efficiency in military and industrial settings by reducing operator workload during critical missions. The technology uses advanced drone imaging and analytics to detect anomalies in industrial equipment and infrastructure inspections. An Android application provides real-time contact detection, recognition, localization, and tracking without requiring a data link or cloud connection. The company also offers integrated surveillance services using advanced drones for comprehensive monitoring and protection of sensitive sites.
- May 2025Seed$2.2M
#4
Seed · France · founded 2025$500Kraised▾
Manufacturer of autonomous micro-drones. It utilize ultrasonic sonar and intelligent control algorithms to detect and kill mosquitoes, eliminating the need for chemicals. Its autonomous drone systems aim to provide efficient, safe, and chemical-free protection against mosquitoes.
- Sep 2025Seed$500K
#5
Seed · Paris, Ile de France · founded 2019 · 7 employees$1.3Mraised▾
Provider of drone based autonomous industrial inspection tool for wind turbines and solar plants
- Dec 2024Seed$1.3M
#6
Public · Paris, Ile de France · founded 1994 · 542 employees$320.4Mraised▾
Manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles and related software and solutions. It provides drones for professional use. The company develops software for flight control and data processing. It also offers solutions for specific industry applications. The company supports developers with software development kits. It provides support, news, and partnership opportunities.
- Nov 2016Grant (prize money)$562.7K
- Jan 2016Grant (prize money)$552.6K
- Nov 2015Post IPO$319.3M
#7
Series B · Lyon, Auvergne Rhone Alpes · founded 2014 · 50 employees$8.3Mraised▾
Manufacturer of tethered drone systems for surveillance and communication applications. These systems provide continuous aerial support for defense, public safety, and industrial sectors. The company offers tethered droneboxes and stations designed for extended flight times. These solutions enhance situational awareness and enable rapid deployment for various operational needs.
- Oct 2023Grant (prize money)$317.6K
- Nov 2021Grant (prize money)$209.2K
- Mar 2021Series B$5.9M
- Jan 2018Series A$2.4M
#8
Series A · Boulogne billancourt, Ile de France · founded 2014 · 75 employees$7.7Mraised▾
Provider of drone flight solutions using proprietary drones. Its solutions include the Drones' Guard and the TP drone used for surveillance, the Bati drone, and the Thermo drone for industrial inspection.
- Jan 2023Grant (prize money)$437.3K
- Feb 2022Series A—
- Jul 2020Seed$2.9M
- Dec 2016Seed$3.7M
#9
Series A · Aix en provence, Provence Alpes Cote d Azur · founded 2018 · 25 employees$4.3Mraised▾
Provider of tech-enabled farming services to farmers and cooperatives. It offers services like intelligent devices to monitor the optimal use of water and fertilizers, timely advice and recommendations, crop monitoring, tracking crop growth, disease detection, storage, and more. The solutions include multispectral sensors, solar glider drones, and analysis software.
- Aug 2023Series A$4.3M
- 2020Seed—
#10
Series A · Guerande, Pays de la Loire · founded 2016 · 21 employees$7.8Mraised▾
Provider of solar-powered autonomous UAVs for multiple applications. It manufactures solar-powered drones for commercial applications. It also offers drone research and development services. It caters to agriculture, maritime, law enforcement, and public safety industries.
- Sep 2022Series A$5M
- Feb 2022Grant (prize money)$56.3K
- Jan 2022Seed$2.8M
- Feb 2020Grant (prize money)$2.1M
#11
Series B · Toulouse, Occitanie · founded 2011 · 105 employees$17.4Mraised▾
Delair provides aerial-imagery service using proprietary drones. The company's product line includes UX11, UX5, DT18, and DT26X. The data collected by the drones are processed by professional photogrammetrists who then perform quality assurance and quality control. The company also holds a network of professional experts in specific economic sectors that analyzes the collected aerial data to solve the users' problem. Applications are in the areas of agriculture, forestry, power & utilities, security & defense, mines & quarries, oil & gas, railways & roads, and emergency.
- Jun 2020Grant (prize money)$376.8K
- Jan 2019Grant (prize money)$103.1K
- Sep 2018Series B—
- Mar 2016Conventional Debt$1.1M
#12
Series A · Orsay, Ile de France · founded 2015 · 33 employees$7.8Mraised▾
Cerbair develops civilian drone detection system named "DroneWatch" that uses stereovision technologies and advanced algorithms. DroneWatch is able to detect, track and identify any flying threat in real-time and in any environment. Its automatic warning system can identify the violators through real-time alerts and digital evidence collection. Its solution can be used in the defense sector, Government organizations, Office Public areas, Airports etc. The company has been quoted in several media channels such as Le Point, La Tribune, Silicon, La Croix etc. CerbAir is a subsidiary of Technofounders.
- Dec 2021Grant (prize money)$58.2K
- Feb 2020Series A$6.1M
- Sep 2019Series A—
- Dec 2017Series A$1.8M
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Drones coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
How research on Drones & UAVs is moving in France
A read on the academic research around Drones & UAVs — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 1,536 France-affiliated papers.
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement412
- Marine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation395
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique235
- Ifremer229
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne106
- Computer vision1→23
- Swarm behaviour1→15
- Robot2→15
- Aeronautics1→12
- Software deployment2→11
- Software3→68
- Aerial survey1→63
- Remote sensing2→41
- Context (archaeology)3→27
- Aeronautics1→25
- Computer security4→13
- Robot1→5
- Field (mathematics)1→5
- Tracking (education)1→4
Where drones uav is researched across France
Location clusters by institution affiliation — each city's volume, stance tone, and a quick read on its hot topic, what's advancing, the opening opportunity, and the main concern.
Who's filing drones uav patents in France
France drones uav patent filing is cooling — 19,593 filings from 3,356 assignees (2016–2025), led by Airbus Operations SAS, Airbus Helicopters, Safran Aircraft Engines; annual filings 1950→1873.
- Airbus Operations SAS4860
- Airbus Helicopters2607
- Safran Aircraft Engines1737
- Airbus France1673
- Eurocopter France1550
- Thales1368
- Safran Landing Systems1335
- Snecma1302
Common questions
Riya reads income statements for fun. She covers the real money in a sector — revenue, growth, who actually earns — and never met a vague claim she didn't want a number for.