Aarok is a French MALE drone with a top speed of 463 km/h, which can fly for 30 hours and requires no prepared infrastructure

As planned, Turgis & Gaillard unveiled a prototype Aarok drone at the Paris Air Show. It is the largest drone in French history.

Here's What We Know

The drone has a wingspan of 22 metres, a length of 14 metres and a maximum take-off weight of 5,500 kg. By comparison, the US MQ-9 Reaper drone has a similar parameters of 20 metres, 11 metres and 4,500 kg respectively.

The Aarok can reach speeds of up to 250 knots (463km/h or 288mph). The French drone is capable of remaining in the air for 30 hours. Its maximum flight altitude is 30,000 feet (9,144 metres).

The drone is equipped with an aviation gas turbine engine. One of Aarok's strengths is that it is not tied to specially prepared infrastructure. A reinforced undercarriage is provided for this purpose.

Patrick Gaillard, CEO of Turgis & Gaillard, said the drone was "built for war". At the same time, he noted that work on Aarok was completed only recently. The drone has never flown yet.

Turgis & Gaillard has nine facilities employing 300 people. The company's annual turnover is about $50 million. The Defense Department is aware of Aaron's development, but the project is implemented with the firm's personal funds.

Source: Breaking Defense, Defense News