Israel has become the world’s largest exporter of unmanned aerial vehicles, according to a leading industry consultant firm, reaching $4.62 billion in sales in the past eight years.  This includes the sale of products, services and licenses which allow other countries to produce their own drones.  These sales make up nearly 10% of the country’s defense exports: between 2008 and 2012, Israel made $6.1 billion per year, with about $578 million annually coming in from the drones alone.

Among potential customers: France is in talks with both Israel and the US to purchase drones to improve its surveillance capabilities.  “We need this capacity in the short term. There are currently two countries in the world that build drones, the United States and Israel,” said French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Sunday.  “We are in discussions with each to buy some straightaway.”