French company Safran Electronics & Defense and Cyprus firm Theon will create a joint venture aimed at accelerating the development of electro-optical and infrared systems for military drones.
The partnership will focus on designing, developing, and commercializing airborne payloads for unmanned aerial vehicles. The venture will initially target lightweight gimbal systems weighing less than eight kilograms (17 pounds).
This move combines Safran’s experience in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems and stabilized gimbals with Theon’s expertise in advanced sensors and electro-optical technologies.
Both firms said they intend to develop platform-agnostic systems that can be integrated across a range of drone types.
Alexandre Ziegler, head of Safran Electronics & Defense’s Defense Global Business Unit, said that this deal “marks a concrete step in strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty in a critical defense domain.”
Drone Industry Partnerships
Defense companies have increasingly turned to partnerships to speed up drone development and strengthen industrial capabilities.
In May, Safran and Turkey’s Baykar agreed to deepen collaboration on drone sensors, navigation systems, and guided weapon integration for unmanned platforms and air-to-ground missions.
That same month, Australia’s SPARC AI partnered with US-based Rate Manufacturing to integrate its Overwatch navigation software into the Model-F drone, improving operations in GPS-denied environments.
Earlier, in February, Germany’s Helsing and HENSOLDT teamed up on the CA-1 Europa drone, combining advanced radar, optronic, electronic warfare, and self-protection systems to expand the platform’s capabilities.
