The Nieuport-Delage NiD 580 R.2 was a contender for a French government contract for a long range, two seat reconnaissance aircraft, issued in 1928.

The French R.2 specification of 1928 called for an all-metal two seat reconnaissance aircraft, fast and with a rapid climb rate and large radius of action.

It led to prototypes from eight manufacturers, the Amiot 130, Breguet 33, Latécoère 490, Les Mureaux 111, Nieuport-Delage Ni-D 580, Potez 37, Weymann WEL-80 and the Wibault 260.

The observer/gunner had a separate cockpit close behind the pilot and a rounded wing cut-out improved the upward field of view from both.

It had a fixed, conventional undercarriage with mainwheels on axles at the vertices of faired V-struts hinged on the fuselage at the ends of the wing struts.