French drone manufacturer Delair is set to open a new subsidiary in Morocco as part of its international expansion strategy, according to the French newspaper L'Opinion.
The Toulouse-based company will establish its African branch, provisionally named “Delair Africa,” in Rabat, with the aim of strengthening its regional footprint and improving support for its growing client base across the continent. The same source added that the choice of Rabat reflects its status as Morocco’s administrative capital, where key defense and security contracts are negotiated.
According to L’Opinion, the new subsidiary is expected to begin operations with around ten employees and will focus primarily on providing logistical support to clients located far from Delair’s headquarters in Toulouse. This is intended to reduce intervention times and enhance operational efficiency across Africa.
The report noted that Rabat’s proximity to Casablanca and its international airport, located about an hour away, will allow the company to expand its reach across the African continent.
Delair, led by CEO Bastien Mancini, has been active in Africa since the early 2010s. The company first exported its DT-26 drone in 2019, delivering three units to Niger’s national intervention and security forces. Since then, its client portfolio has expanded to include countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Benin, particularly for border surveillance and counterterrorism operations.
Beyond defense, the company is also targeting the infrastructure and energy sectors. According to the same source, Delair has historically conducted inspection missions for major groups such as TotalEnergies and Schlumberger, and is now looking to expand into underwater capabilities, including hull inspections, demining, and environmental monitoring.
The move to Morocco is also driven by the country’s emergence as a major aerospace hub in Africa. L’Opinion noted that global industry players such as Airbus, Safran, and Boeing have already established operations in the Kingdom.
In this context, Delair aims to build partnerships with Moroccan academic and industrial institutions, similar to its collaboration with engineering schools in France. Discussions have already been initiated with the GIMAS (Moroccan Aerospace Industries Group), although no formal agreement has yet been reached, the same source pointed out.
Delair currently employs around 250 people and is targeting revenues of €75 million by 2026. Looking ahead, CEO Bastien Mancini has set more ambitious goals, aiming for between €500 million and €1 billion in revenue by 2030. According to L’Opinion, Africa, with its rising demand for surveillance, border security, and infrastructure monitoring, could play a central role in achieving that growth.
