France tests robots and drones for future ground operations

Saint-Cyr-Coetquidan – 14 July 2026: The French Army is advancing tests of a robotic combat unit at the Saint-Cyr-Coetquidan military training area in Brittany. The Pendragon project jointly tests ground robots, reconnaissance drones, and digital command systems. The aim is to support individual tasks of a conventional infantry company or cavalry unit through networked unmanned systems.

The Future Combat Command, CCF, and the Ministerial Agency for Artificial Intelligence in Defense, AMIAD, are collaborating on the project together with industrial partners. The tests focus on navigation, situational awareness, target identification, and data exchange between platforms. The systems are not intended to be used in isolation, but rather to integrate their information into a shared tactical picture.

According to the Army, Pendragon is intended to test a fleet of ground and aerial platforms capable of acting in a coordinated manner in complex terrain. This is intended to support a military commander in decision-making and mission execution. The program also follows a faster development approach: soldiers, software specialists, and manufacturers test technical components directly in the field in short development cycles.

The French Armed Forces consider the experience of the war in Ukraine to be an important driver for the accelerated development of drones, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Pendragon is intended in particular to demonstrate which systems can be deployed in larger quantities and how robustly they function under realistic operational conditions. It is also intended to determine whether relatively simple platforms can generate a militarily usable mass.

According to the concept published so far, complete automation of decisions related to the use of weapons is not planned. The Army emphasizes that people must retain oversight and responsibility. The technology may therefore plan routes, recognize objects, or propose actions. However, decisions on deployment, mission, and in particular the use of force must remain in the hands of military command.

The Ministry of Defense plans an initial operational demonstration for 2026. Delivery of an initial development phase of the robotic combat unit is planned for 2027. The operational availability for 2028 mentioned in the initial information is not confirmed by the official data currently available. Rather, these describe a gradual introduction in which technology and operational procedures will continue to be developed after the first troop trials.

With Pendragon, the Army is also linking an industrial and organizational realignment. Instead of relying solely on development phases lasting several years, available robots and drones are to be adapted and networked with each other more quickly. Whether the systems will complement regular combat units on a larger scale in the future will depend on the results of the ongoing tests, technical reliability, and rules of employment.