- The French Army began testing the Hermione unmanned ground vehicle at the Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan Military Academy under the Pendragon program.
- The service said the hydrogen-powered, modular UGV will support development of France’s first AI-directed robotic combat unit planned for 2027.
The French Army has begun testing the next-generation Hermione unmanned ground vehicle at the Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan Military Academy, the service confirmed this week.
The trials fall under the Army’s Pendragon program, which focuses on integrating artificial intelligence-enabled combat systems into future military operations.
According to the French Army, the aim of the first AI-directed combat unit is to “anticipate tomorrow’s battles while accelerating decision-making and tactical effectiveness.” The service added: “Conducted with the Ministry Agency for Defense AI, the Pendragon project carries and expresses this determination to win the wars of tomorrow.” The Army plans to field its first robotic unit in 2027.
Hermione was developed by H2X Ecosystems and H2X Defense, which retain full ownership of all related patents and innovations. The companies describe Hermione as a modular, wheeled unmanned ground vehicle designed to support varied mission profiles, including logistics, surveillance, autonomous maneuver, and mounted systems.
The drone carries a 300-kilogram payload in its baseline configuration, with other variants engineered to transport up to two tons. Built for uneven or rugged terrain, Hermione uses an all-wheel-drive architecture and reaches a top speed of 24 miles per hour. The vehicle measures 3.3 meters in length, 1.85 meters in width and 1.4 meters in height, excluding mission equipment.
Hermione is powered by hydrogen fuel cells integrated into TPED-certified cylinders that feed 8 kW hub-mounted electric motors. It includes a 25 kWh battery pack and provides an operational endurance of up to 20 hours, according to the manufacturer. Refueling takes about three minutes, and crews can replace hydrogen cylinders in the field to maintain operations without extended downtime.
The French Army selected Hermione for evaluation as part of its broader effort to introduce AI-enabled robotics into maneuver units. The testing at Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan will assess autonomy, mobility, energy performance and its integration with command-and-control networks. Pendragon is designed to explore AI-supported decision tools, manned-unmanned teaming and the introduction of robotic platforms inside dismounted and mounted formations.
The Army stated that the goal of the program is to improve the ability of units to conduct dispersed, high-tempo operations while retaining awareness in complex environments. The ongoing trials are expected to support development of requirements for the first operational robotic unit planned for 2027.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect that the Hermione unmanned ground vehicle was developed solely by H2X Ecosystems and H2X Defense.