Valeo has been selected by Harmattan AI to develop and produce a sovereign electric drone motor in France. The motor will equip Harmattan AI drones and will be produced at a Valeo site in France, with production scheduled to begin in early 2027. Valeo leveraged technological building blocks from the automotive industry to develop the electric motors, which operate without heavy rare earths. The partnership covers civil and defense applications and aims to secure the supply chain.
Christophe Périllat, Valeo CEO, stated: “Building on our technological expertise and our industrial footprint in France, we have developed various components to meet the needs of drones, including an initial range of sovereign electric motors. We are proud of our partnership with Harmattan AI. This first contract in the drones sector leverages Valeo’s industrial expertise to support national sovereignty by offering relevant technologies and ensuring robust, local production capacity. It also aligns with our ‘Beyond Auto’ strategy of applying our technologies to new fields.”
Mouad M’Ghari, Harmattan AI Co-Founder and CEO, added: “The development of sovereign defense technologies is at the core of Harmattan AI’s mission. Through this partnership, we are strengthening the security of our supply chain while ensuring reliable access to the materials and expertise required to manufacture our defense systems. Critical rare earths represent a strategic vulnerability across global supply chains, and we are proud to contribute to the development of an alternative solution. This partnership reflects our broader strategy of securing control over the entire hardware value chain, enabling us to maintain full command of our production capabilities. More than ever, Harmattan AI is establishing itself as a provider of sovereignty.”
