French Firm Asman Technology Prepares Uncrewed Spy Plane Sentinelle MK1 for First Flight

Sentinelle MK1: French company Asman Technology is preparing to fly the DSLR Sentinelle MK1, a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone dedicated exclusively to electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. On October 29, the company released a video showing the aircraft undergoing taxi tests on the runway at the Jonzac aerodrome in Charente-Maritime, pointing to an imminent first flight. During the 2025.

Sentinelle MK1, USA News (France): French company Asman Technology is preparing to fly the DSLR Sentinelle MK1, a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone dedicated exclusively to electronic warfare, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. On October 29, the company released a video showing the aircraft undergoing taxi tests on the runway at the Jonzac aerodrome in Charente-Maritime, pointing to an imminent first flight.

During the 2025 Paris Air Show, the French Directorate General of Armaments subsidized five industrial firms to develop theater drones: Turgis Gaillard for the Aarok, Daher for the EyePulse, SE Aviation for the Driade, Aura Aero for the Enbata, and Fly’R for the R2-600. Three of these aircraft have already flown, but Asman Technology was not among the beneficiaries. Consequently, the company is carrying out its development without public subsidies, presenting both cash flow constraints and schedule independence since it answers to no administrative deadlines.

Specifications and ITAR-Free Build

The Sentinelle MK1 features a 15-meter wingspan and a maximum takeoff mass of 1,000 kilograms, positioning it as a lightweight entry in its category. It carries a 200-kilogram payload, flies at 23,000 feet with a cruising speed of 200 km/h, and boasts an endurance of 21 hours. It takes off and lands automatically, including on short runways—a feature allowing operation from remote locations heavier drones cannot access.

The aircraft is assembled without any components subject to United States arms export regulations, known as ITAR-free. This characteristic serves commercial and technical purposes alike, as hardware containing American components cannot be exported without Washington’s approval. Eliminating this restriction opens markets otherwise closed by such rules.

Payload and Strategic Niche

The drone integrates electromagnetic intelligence and electronic warfare modules from the Avantix range supplied by Eviden, a subsidiary of the Atos group. Asman Technology provides an entire chain from sensor to data exploitation, aiming to fill a vital void in airborne electromagnetic intelligence that France has lacked since retiring its Transall Gabriel aircraft in 2022.