This Paris Startup Just Raised $8.2M to Make Drone Detection Affordable

Jan de Vries · 2026-11-02

Imagine a radar system that costs a fraction of traditional ones, yet detects drones with impressive range and precision. That's exactly what Gallium Defence, a Paris-based startup, is building. The company just stepped out of stealth with a €7.1 million Seed round (about $8.2 million) to scale its affordable drone detection technology. The round was led by Keen Venture Partners and 360 Capital, with Omnes Capital and Polytechnique Ventures also participating. The timing? Perfectly aligned with European Defence Week 2026, held from November 2nd to 6th in Paris. ### Why Drone Detection Needs a Rethink More than 80% of critical infrastructure sites and military assets are still exposed to modern drone threats. The main reason? A lack of affordable, field-ready radars that can handle threats at scale. Traditional systems are reaching their operational and economic limits as drones become more common. Gallium Defence was founded in April 2026 by Eric Fournier, Florian Lemoine, and Robin Mandel—three people with deep defence and industrial backgrounds. Fournier spent 17 years advising defence and aerospace leaders at Boston Consulting Group. Lemoine brings over 15 years of defence experience and served as a former adviser to NATO SACT. Mandel also has over 15 years of experience across industry and consulting, with roles at Thales, BCG, and Safran. They started with a simple question, as Fournier puts it: "How do you meet 80% of the need at 20% of the price?" Their answer: a radically rethought AESA radar architecture that leans heavily on commercial off-the-shelf components and embedded computing. ### The GDS-10: Affordable, Capable, and Scalable The flagship product is the GDS-10, an X-band AESA radar with a software-defined, AI-native architecture. It's designed for dual use—one version for critical infrastructure operators and another for armed forces. Here's what it can do: - Detect Class 1 and FPV drones at a range of 6.2 miles (10 km) - Provide 360° azimuth coverage and 90° elevation coverage with no blind spots - Track multiple drones simultaneously, even within a swarm - Operate day and night, in all weather conditions Because it's software-defined, its capabilities can evolve as new threats emerge. "Our radars are designed to be manufactured and deployed by the hundreds, not one at a time," says Mandel, COO and co-founder. ### From Funding to Field Trials Just four months after closing its Seed round, Gallium Defence conducted its first open-air field trials. The funding is being used to industrialize production, strengthen the team, train AI models, and run demonstrations for civil and military operators worldwide. With monthly field demonstrations underway, the company is positioning itself as the sovereign European answer for drone detection at scale. Orders for the GDS-10 are planned to open in the first quarter of 2027. > "Great defence starts with superior visibility. Gallium Defence has the team, the industrial partners and the cost model to make drone detection a standard layer at every critical site—the kind of European capability our fund is proud to back." — Alexander Ribbink, General Partner, Keen Venture Partners For anyone following EU Inc news and the European startup incorporation scene, Gallium Defence is a name to watch. They're not just building a product; they're redefining how drone detection is done—making it affordable, scalable, and ready for the threats of today and tomorrow.