French automobile maker Renault is reportedly starting production of long-range drones for military use at two of its plants in France.
As reported by French business magazine L’Usine Nouvelle yesterday, the carmaker has entered a partnership with aerospace company Turgis Gaillard to supply drones to the French army.
The project – codenamed “Chorus” – foresees the development and production of a long-range unmanned aerial vehicle similar to the Iranian Shahed drones – notorious for their intense use by the Russian army in its attacks on Ukraine.
The final product will reportedly measure 10 metres in length and have a wingspan of eight metres and be able to reach speeds of up to 400kph and altitudes of 5,000 metres.
The French answer to the Shahed has been developed by Turgis Gaillard while Renault is responsible for production and using its knowledge of automotive techniques to improve manufacturing efficiency and bring down costs.
The production of the drones will start in spring of 2026 at Renault’s ACI plant in Le Mans, where a dedicated production line is being set up and will employ up to 200 of the plant’s 1,800 employees.
Another Renault plant in Cléon near Rouen in northern France will supply the engines for the drones.
Renault will not be involved in fitting-out the drones for military use.
Reportedly, the first 10 drones will be delivered to the French army’s procurement agency DGA by mid-2026. If the military is satisfied with the result, Renault may receive a 10-year contract worth a total of € 1 billion, which would see it producing up to 600 drones per month.
The Chorus project is part of France’s bid to modernise its army and shore-up its defence production. The French-made drone is supposed to alleviate the country’s dependency on US-made MQ-9 Reaper drones and other products.
On January 15, French President Emmanuel Macron said during a visit to an airbase in Istres near Marseille: “Let us be clear, we are late,” – urging his countrymen to react quickly to the mounting international challenges.
Brussels Signal contacted Renault for comment but had not heard back at the time of writing.
The Renault factories are not the first European automotive plants that may be repurposed for defence production. In 2025, German defence contractor Rheinmetall announced plans to convert a Volkswagen factory in Osnabrück, Germany, into a production line for armoured vehicles.
In February 2025, German-French defence group KNDS announced the had a acquired a train wagon factory in eastern Germany and would start manufacturing battle tanks there.
