Tethered ISR UAV used in France's Orion 2026 exercises

French Army soldiers using Khronos Dronebox to spot approaching targets during military exercise Orion 26 on 27 April 2026. (Elistair )

France-based manufacturer Elistair has announced that its Khronos tethered Dronebox unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was used by the French Armed Forces during exercise Orion 2026, the company announced in a 29 April 2026 press release.

Elistair contributed products including the Dronebox in Phase O2 of the exercise in February and Phase O4 which ran from 7 to 30 April. “Feedback from the French Army has consistently been very positive,” a company representative told Janes on 29 April. During Orion 2026, the Dronebox was used for base protection and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in support of assault groups. It was also used for target designation and was compatibility tested with counter unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), the representative added.

Tethered capabilities

The Khronos Dronebox is a UAV tethered to a landing and docking station with a 70 m cord, and a tablet running Elistair's T-planner software which is compatible with Android Tactical Awareness Kit (ATAK). The T-planner software is used for image analysis, and UAV and payload control, according to the company. The UAV hovers at a 60 m altitude and is able to operate in global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-denied environments. “In the event of GNSS denial, Khronos [UAV] can switch to static hover mode at 30 metres altitude and continue its mission uninterrupted,” the representative said.

Tethered UAV