Rift trials persistent drone surveillance off the French coast

French company Rift conducted initial maritime trials of its containerized persistent-surveillance system off Brittany on November 5, 2026, supported by €1.3 million in France 2030 innovation funding. Two transportable stations, each 12 metres long and able to support three aircraft, were used to test remotely operated Spirit vertical-takeoff fixed-wing drones. Rift quotes up to five hours of endurance, approximately 300 kilometres of range and a four-kilogram payload capacity, with sensors intended to investigate coastal radar detections. The demonstration is an early evaluation of a deployable surveillance architecture, not a declaration that a nationwide coastal network is already operational.