Morocco Invests in Domestic Military Drone Production, Aims for 1,000 Units Annually

On the sidelines of the second edition of the National Industry Day, Aerodrive Engineering Services (AES) signed, on Thursday, October 17 in Benguérir, a financing agreement with the Ministry of Industry and the CGEM, for the production of 1,000 unmanned aerial systems per year, after having obtained funding as part of the Innovation Support Fund (FSI). Funding that will allow the Moroccan company to boost the development of Moroccan drones, but also to accelerate its R&D work, to set up a production line and to enter "as soon as possible" the national market, before going international, specifically on the African continent, in a later stage, according to Challenge.

Last week, AES welcomed the success of the first flight of its military drone, Atlas Istar. "This milestone marks an important step in our journey to develop a state-of-the-art unmanned aerial system designed for military surveillance and intelligence gathering operations," it said in a LinkedIn post. And to add: "After months of rigorous testing, the dedication and expertise of our team have resulted in a system capable of providing real-time intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities on critical missions. Atlas is here to enhance military operational effectiveness."

Designed and developed in Morocco for surveillance and intelligence gathering missions, Atlas Istar should strengthen the country’s technological and strategic capabilities. The device is intended for critical military operations. It offers real-time intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities.