Renault engineers examining drone production were surprised by complex designs from existing manufacturers, including countless small screws and high-spec materials unsuitable for mass production. "We thought — wouldn't it be a good idea to think about doing this carbon fibre part in plastic?" said Jean-Philippe Billai, who oversees industrial excellence at Renault. "The process is otherwise long and complicated on a large scale, whereas you can make moulds and get the parts out more quickly in plastic."
Renault is among automakers like General Motors and Volkswagen exploring defence partnerships to revive ailing operations. In June, Renault partnered with French defence electronics specialist Thales to co-produce "Toutatis" drones, increasing output 100-fold to 1,000 a month at full capacity by 2027. These loitering munitions can take out armoured vehicles and feature advanced systems to evade scrambling fighters.
The redesigned model has 20% fewer parts and 40% fewer fixations. Thales' Cécilia Aguero noted simplifying wiring was a game-changer. In another project with Turgis Gaillard, larger drones called "Chorus" could cost €100,000 each versus typical €1mn prices, with plans for 600 monthly units.
Ukraine's TAF Industries, founded by Oleksandr Yakovenko, has boosted surveillance drone output eightfold since 2023 to 80,000 units monthly by eliminating unnecessary features through frontline feedback.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing