France has announced a new round of flight tests for the nEUROn unmanned combat aerial vehicle to study the use of the drone in a naval context.

The first test took place Monday at Istres in southern France, according to a statement from the country's Directorate General of Armaments.

The tests will include sea trials from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and will be followed by an electromagnetic signature measurement series of tests early next year.

The nEUROn project was launched in 2006 and developed by an industry group led by France's Dassault Aviation, and including Italy's Alenia Aermacchi, Sweden's Saab, Spain's Airbus, Greece's HAI and Switerzland's RUAG.

The first test campaign for the nEUROn UCAV technology demonstrator included 123 flights between December 2012 and September 2015.