Airbus Helicopters and Naval Group, in collaboration with the French Armament General Directorate, DGA (Direction Génerale de l’Armement), and the French Navy, have tested the SDAM demonstrator (Système de Drone Aérien Marine/ Naval Aerial Drone System) from a multi-mission frigate (FREMM). The trials took place on board the French Navy frigate, "Provence" in the Mediterranean Sea between the 2nd and the 9th of October. The vessel had previously been adapted by Naval Group to operate the SDAM. These sea trials were arranged to demonstrate the system’s high performance from an operational warship and the SDAM’s capabilities for surveillance and intelligence missions.
 
The derisking study for the SDAM programme was awarded to the two industries by the DGA. The objective is to design, produce and test a rotary wing unmanned aerial system demonstrator for the French Navy. The system works with the Airbus Helicopters VSR-700 Unmanned Aerial System and the I4Drones mission system developed by Naval Group. This last has also been tasked with the integration of the system onboard military vessels. The project also involves French SMEs like Hélicoptères Guimbal and Diades, contributing to the creation of a local naval UAS industry in France.