General Bernard of the Aéronautique Militaire issued a specification for an armoured reconnaissance-bomber, with response from Blériot, Breguet, Clément-Bayard, Deperdussin, Ponnier, Voisin and Dorand.

[1] Capitaine Émile Dorand's offering, the DO.1, was an un-equal span biplane of wooden construction and fabric covering, with a slender square-section fuselage supported on struts between the negatively staggered mainplanes.

[1] Power was supplied by an 85 hp (63 kW) Anzani 6-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, mounted in the nose.

The pilot sat in an open cockpit under the trailing edge of the upper mainplane and the mechanic / observer sat in an open cockpit forward of the wings, protected from small arms fire by 90 kg (200 lb) armour plates.

[2] Six more DO.1s were issued to Escadrille DO22 at Villacoublay on 23 August 1914, flying operations in support of the 4th Armée in the Battle of the Marne.