Nice-Matin: From Port Gallice to yachts at anchor — FLYDE’s drone delivery adventure takes off in Juan-les-Pins
Nice-Matin, the reference daily newspaper of the French Riviera, dedicated an in-depth Society/Technology feature to FLYDE on July 27th, 2026, ahead of our official commercial launch on August 1st. Written by journalist Vincent Bellanger, the article captures the futuristic scene at Port Gallice: our drone lifting off silently with a parcel suspended from a steel cable, heading toward yachts at anchor.
The article details the moment as the culmination of years of doubts, sleepless nights, and technological perseverance for founder Pierre Deyris and his team. Nice-Matin highlights FLYDE’s core value proposition: replacing the traditional system where tenders come to collect parcels from around 11 AM, mobilizing two crew members for at least half an hour and costing a minimum of 27 euros per trip — with a 100% electric, faster, more eco-sustainable, and cost-effective drone solution.
Nice-Matin also traces the personal journey behind FLYDE. Founder Pierre Deyris, a former financier, dreamed as a child of commanding vessels or becoming a shipowner. He founded the company in 2022, originally named “Drones for Yachts” before rebranding as FLYDE. The article details FLYDE’s technical journey: four drone manufacturers tested, an initial design where the drone landed on deck abandoned due to safety risks and telecom link failures, and finally a partnership with French manufacturer Kavok to develop a winch-based system with floats, capable of delivering up to 8 kg without ever landing on boats.
The publication also covers FLYDE’s operational choices: partnering with local maritime agents to integrate into the existing logistics chain rather than addressing pleasure boat owners directly. Orders travel at over 60 km/h and reach vessels in under fifteen minutes, with a control center in Lyon supervising automated flight trajectories. The Juan-les-Pins base covers the bay up to the Lérins Islands and the approaches to Cannes. Flights start August 1st on a three-day-per-week schedule (Thursday to Saturday), progressively expanding to Sunday and Wednesday. Three pricing packages are launched: 50, 100, and 200 euros. A second base is already in preparation at Port du Béal in Cannes-Mandelieu, with the ambition of covering the entire coastline from Monaco to Ramatuelle.
The article closes on FLYDE’s regulatory achievements: a full legal obstacle course under European regulation 2019/947, in collaboration with the DSAC, maritime prefecture, and customs. Each launch base underwent a detailed SORA risk analysis. The drone follows strict aerial corridors, ascends over water on a main axis before a 90-degree turn toward the target vessel, and integrates AIS beacons to detect boats up to 5 km away, along with strict avoidance procedures in case of helicopter presence.