France is preparing to close the coast with UAVs. The new Rift system takes over.
The French company Rift conducted the first sea tests of its continuous aerial surveillance system off the coast of Brittany. The project is financed by the state as part of the France 2030 plan, and its main task is to ensure constant control of the coastal area without the participation of manned aircraft.
At the heart of the complex are 12 meter long container stations, which can be placed both on the beach and on ships. Each station serves up to three Spirit drones. The UAV is able to stay in the air for up to 5 hours, operate at a distance of up to 300 km and carry up to 4 kg of cargo.
After detecting a suspicious target by coastal radar, the UAV is able to take off in less than 30 seconds. Its mission is to quickly confirm contact, determine the type of target and transmit information to the command.
The developers also included the ability to fight aerial threats. At Euronaval 2026, the company presented the Spirit version, which carries two interceptor drones designed to destroy small FPV drones.