Questions and answers:
What is the DRIADE UAV and who is developing it? DRIADE is a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle designed for reconnaissance and wildfire response missions. It is being developed by SE Aviation of Nevers, France.
What company is providing the flight control system for DRIADE? UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía, based in Madrid, is supplying its VECTOR-600 autopilot system to enable autonomous flight operations.
What makes the VECTOR-600 system notable? The VECTOR-600 allows the aircraft to operate as an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV), supporting both manned and unmanned flight with high reliability, safety, and precision.
MADRID - UAV Navigation in Madrid, SE Aviation in Nevers, France, and their partners are advancing the DRIADE uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) project, with UAV Navigation supplying its VECTOR-600 flight control system for the fixed-wing platform. Designed for reconnaissance and wildfire response missions, the DRIADE aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 820 kilograms.
The VECTOR-600 system is designed to enable fully autonomous flight with high levels of precision, safety, and reliability. UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía, a specialist in guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) systems for uncrewed platforms, is tailoring its technology to meet the mission and regulatory requirements of the DRIADE program.
As part of the first phase of development, engineers integrated the VECTOR-600 autopilot into SE Aviation’s manned MCR 4S aircraft, converting it into an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV). The platform can now be flown either by an onboard pilot or remotely using the flight control system. Multiple flight tests validated the system’s ability to transition between manned and unmanned modes, representing a key step toward achieving full autonomy.
UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía unveils GNSS-denied navigation kit
Aiming for certification
The DRIADE program’s next phase includes developing an advanced flight control architecture with built-in redundancy and fault-tolerant design to support future certification. The flexibility of the VECTOR-600 system allows it to be adapted to a range of mission profiles and safety standards.
SE Aviation was recently selected by the French Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) under one of five framework agreements to support the development of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV demonstrators beginning in 2026.
The DRIADE collaboration highlights increased European coordination in the uncrewed systems sector. UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía continues to play a role in this effort as a provider of modular, safety-critical flight control systems used by various aerospace manufacturers.
