Aerospace group Airbus said on Monday it was seeking outside investment for its Zephyr high-altitude surveillance and communications drone program, with the aim of expanding operations and accelerating commercialization.

The Zephyr drone is designed to maintain an altitude of around 21 kilometers for months at a time, for surveillance purposes or to temporarily boost communications.

The drone is solar-powered, with secondary batteries charged in daylight to ensure night flight.

The French aircraft manufacturer has asked Morgan Stanley to find external partnerships for the company, which will operate under the "Aalto" brand, a company spokesman told Reuters.

"Airbus plans to remain a majority shareholder in Aalto, but will consider outside investments to help accelerate the company's objectives," he added.

The Financial Times newspaper, which first reported the news on Monday, said Airbus was considering splitting up its drone division with the aim of launching commercial operations by the end of next year.

Sameer Halawi, who has headed the program since last summer, told the Financial Times that the Zephyr was "in the final design stage".

"The idea of the operation is to bring like-minded partners into the equation and be able to take this business forward." (Reported by Gokul Pisharody in Bangalore; French version by Jean Rosset; edited by Blandine Hénault)