AURA M, the defense division of AURA AERO, has unveiled the new design of ENBATA, its sovereign multi-mission MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drone. ENBATA marks a new milestone with an architecture optimized for robustness, maintenance, modularity, and the integration of next-generation sensors.
Designed to meet the needs of armed forces in demanding theaters of operation, ENBATA combines endurance, payload capacity, an open digital architecture, and controlled costs. The drone is intended for a wide range of missions: long-range strategic intelligence, armed reconnaissance, electronic warfare, maritime surveillance, communications relay, and counter-drone operations.
The design presented by AURA M supports this operational ambition. The aircraft features a deliberately simple metal fuselage, designed to facilitate production, maintenance, and field repairs. The wings, tail surfaces, and nose utilize composite materials, optimizing weight, aerodynamic performance, and the integration of mission equipment. The nose of ENBATA has been progressively refined, offering easy access for system maintenance and designed to adapt effectively to the evolution of onboard sensors. It already incorporates modern solutions for both radar and communications, featuring flat, space-saving antennas.
A Drone Designed to Operate from Rudimentary Airfields
ENBATA was designed for rapid deployment and implementation. Transportable in a 40-foot container, it is designed to be deployed by an A400M to the theater of operations along with its dedicated ground station. Its landing gear and low-pressure tires were specifically designed to adapt to rudimentary or unprepared runways. This deployment capability complements ENBATA’s advertised performance: up to 55 hours of endurance, 25,000 feet of operational altitude, 160 knots true airspeed cruise speed, a 17-metre wingspan, and up to 1,050 kilograms of payload.
A Certifiable and Scalable Architecture
Powered by a diesel engine paired with a variable-pitch propeller, ENBATA features an open architecture with fly-by-wire controls, designed to facilitate the rapid integration of new software capabilities and mission systems. ENBATA’s EASA certification will be a major differentiator: it should allow the drone to operate in non-segregated airspace, paving the way for dual-use missions and more flexible deployments.
High-Level Mission Management and Sphere Awareness System
ENBATA aims to advance drone control by issuing high-level commands: operators define objectives, areas of interest, and mission priorities, while the system assists with execution, monitoring, and adaptation of the flight plan. This approach reduces the cognitive load on crews and facilitates complex missions. The Sphere Awareness System integrates a network of smart cameras distributed across the aircraft, providing 360° environmental awareness. The system monitors the environment, detects the entry of an aircraft or object into a defined perimeter, alerts operators, and tracks targets in real time, allowing operators to remain focused on the primary mission.
A Sovereign, Mass-Produced Platform for the Armed Forces
With ENBATA, AURA M aims to offer a sovereign, ITAR-free European solution designed for large-scale production and simplified deployment. Design-to-cost, simplicity of form, and the integration of existing systems all contribute to controlled costs.
General (Ret.) Stéphane Mille, President of AURA M, stated: “ENBATA was designed as a tool for operational superiority: durable, robust, modular, and capable of rapidly evolving with the needs of the armed forces. Its new design, unveiled at the Eurosatory exhibition, reflects our commitment to constantly adapting to the realities on the ground.”
ENBATA exemplifies AURA M’s mission: to support the armed forces from requirements definition through to the operational product, leveraging the prototyping, certification, and production capabilities of a European aerospace manufacturer.
