NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2025
Season’s greetings!
A word from the CEO, Eric Fumey
As 2025 draws to a close and the holiday season begins, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you — our customers, partners, MCR enthusiasts, and aviation lovers — for the trust you have placed in SE Aviation Aircraft.
2025 has been an intense and formative year for our company. In concrete terms, this translates into four MCR-4S Evolution kits sold, three new aircraft delivered, two DRIADE drones built, and five second-hand aircraft finding new owners. These results illustrate our growing business and the strength of our expertise, both in light aviation and in the field of autonomous systems.
Beyond the figures, this year is above all a story of passion, challenges overcome, and ambitious projects carried out collectively. In the following lines, I would like to look back on some of the highlights that marked 2025, through a retrospective faithful to the spirit of SE Aviation Aircraft.
I wish you all a very happy holiday season. May this period be synonymous with rest, sharing, and dreams for the future, before we return in 2026 to the pleasure of building, flying, and exploring new horizons together.
——— 2025 ———
This year will undoubtedly remain a landmark year for SE Aviation Aircraft.
Innovation, human achievements, industrial advances, and institutional recognition have punctuated the last twelve months, perfectly illustrating the vitality of our company and the passion that drives all our teams, partners, and customers…
——— EXPLOIT ———
An MCR-4S Evolution flies between continents
2025 began with a remarkable aeronautical accomplishment: Jonathan Hayot crossed the Atlantic at the controls of his MCR-4S Evolution, powered by a Rotax 915iS engine.
To rise to this challenge, Jonathan equipped his aircraft with additional flexible tanks installed on the rear seats, bringing the total capacity to 440 litres and the flight time to 15 hours.
Its route: Pontarlier – Perpignan / Perpignan – Agadir / Agadir – Dakar / Dakar – Cape Verde / Cape Verde – Cayenne / Cayenne – Fort-de-France.
In 12 days and after flying 5,000 NM, this impressive achievement also showcased a latest-generation wing, now used on our DRIADE drone.
——— AIR-FUTURE ———
DRIADE takes shape in Pontarlier
In April, our M.A.L.E. DRIADE drone (Autonomous Reconnaissance and Intervention Drone for Defence and the Environment), along with its control station, entered the final assembly phase at our premises in Pontarlier. On this occasion, we released a blurred picture of the vehicle, which will only be unveiled later…
Indeed, it was also during this period that we announced a major first: the official presentation of DRIADE at the 2025 Paris Airshow, marking SE Aviation Aircraft’s first ever participation in this major event, from 16 to 22 June. It was only at the 2025 SIAE that we would unveil DRIADE…
——— PARIS AIRSHOW 2025 ———
The DRIADE programmeconvinces the DGA !!
Yes, in June 2025, SE Aviation Aircraft participated for the first time in the Paris Airshow, a key moment for the company. On this occasion, DRIADE was presented to the public for the first time, attracting considerable interest from the media and industry professionals.
This event also marked a decisive step forward with the signing of an agreement with the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), formalising the evaluation of DRIADE in its military version. This major institutional recognition was a tribute to the work carried out by the SE Aviation teams and confirmed the potential of this 100% European M.A.L.E. drone.
——— PASSION ———
An extraordinary human adventure
2025 was also marked by an incredible human adventure. Mihail Silvestru took on the challenge of building an MCR-4S Evolution in a simple container, in the middle of the Romanian countryside, with his son Iancu, aged just 8.
In just over two years, father and son have built much more than an aeroplane: they have built a tale of transmission, passion and complicity. Today, Mihail and his family have embarked on a round-the-world trip in their MCR-4S, an adventure that you can follow on their YouTube channel.
The MCR-4S Evolution gets the GLORIEUSE
During the summer, an important technical innovation was introduced.
The GLORIEUSE propeller from E-PROPS became available on MCR-4S aircraft equipped with the Rotax 912ULS engine.
Designed and manufactured in France, this three-bladed propeller combines optimised performance, noise reduction and robustness, further enhancing the versatility and excellence of the MCR series.
A daring first time!
In autumn, an unusual news story made our teams smile and filled them with pride: a pilot, impressed by the reputation of our aircraft, purchased an MCR-4S Evolution kit without ever having flown one!
On 7 November, after completing the assembly of his aircraft in Pontarlier with the support of our teams, he made his maiden flight, confirming that his intuition had been correct.
The Rotax 916iS joins the range
Also in autumn, a major announcement was made: the Rotax 916iS was now available on the MCR-4S Evolution.
With 160 hp, engine life increased to 2,000 hours, and improved take-off and climb performance, this engine opens up new possibilities.
The first unit will take to the skies in January 2026, while a retrofitted MCR-4S has also joined our second-hand fleet.
DRIADE: real progress!
In November, the DRIADE programme reached a new milestone:
The first flight tests of a ‘droned’ MCR-4S were successfully conducted, confirming the maturity of the concept.
Assembly of the DRIADE MSN-01 is now complete, with a maiden flight scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, while the MSN-02, intended for the DGA, is currently being assembled and will be delivered in mid-2026.
