Renault, the French automaker, acknowledged on Monday, March 30 that they are working on “a project of a ground drone for military and civilian use” aimed at reconnaissance on the battlefield, partially confirming an article from L’Usine Nouvelle about a partnership between Renault and John Cockerill, owner of the military vehicle supplier Arquus.
“Our R&D teams are testing and exploring various options, such as ground robots, which also have potential civilian applications. This is an exploratory study project,” Renault stated without confirming the name of the partner company.
Renault mentioned being contacted earlier in the year by the Ministry of Armed Forces, interested in their rapid development and production capabilities. “Our R&D teams are working on different projects in the defense sector, always looking for civilian applications,” Renault added.
According to L’Usine Nouvelle, the ground drone prototype that Renault is developing with John Cockerill is expected to be the size of a small car and may be presented at the Eurosatory trade fair in June, though this has not been confirmed by the automaker.
Designed for battlefield reconnaissance, the specialized journal described the drone as resembling “a small lunar 4×4 equipped with several suspended cameras,” potentially built on a technological platform using some components from the Renault group.
This new project in defense follows Renault’s previous aerial drone project with the defense company Turgis Gaillard, set to be produced at their factory in Le Mans, producing up to 600 units per month.
Looking ahead, L’Usine Nouvelle suggests that a second project may emerge between Renault and Arquus in light military vehicles, potentially militarizing models derived from the Dacia range.
