In 1930, the French Navy requested the development of a light patrol seaplane for use in its colonies. In response, Gourdou-Leseurre designed and built the GL.831 HY* prototype, which was an upgraded version of an earlier company aircraft equipped with a more powerful engine, the GL.830HY. The GL.831HY made its first flight on December 23, 1931, and then underwent testing. Following successful trials, the French Navy ordered 22 GL.832HY aircraft with slightly downgraded engines. The resulting seaplane featured a metal fuselage, folding wings, and the ability to be launched from a shipborne catapult. The first production aircraft took off on December 17, 1934, and production continued until February 1936 when the final aircraft in the series flew. The GL.832HY primarily served on auxiliary ships of the French Navy, such as the Émile Bertin, as well as on colonial sloops. By the start of World War II, the aircraft was still in service, and the military finally retired it in 1941.

The GL.832HY was introduced in Update 2.27 "La Royale". While the aircraft has average flight characteristics, it stands out lacking offensive armament. Equipped only with a single defensive turret containing a 7.7 mm machine gun, it is suitable solely for reconnaissance missions or the stealthy capture of strategic points.