An independent drive device for an aircraft, the drive device comprising a motor member, a drive mechanism for driving an aircraft wheel, which is adapted to co-operate with the wheel to drive it for rotation, and a coupling mechanism interposed between the motor member and the drive mechanism to selectively couple the wheel to the motor member. The coupling mechanism comprises two coupling members of complementary shape, comprising a first coupling member that rotates with the drive and a second coupling member that rotates with the motor member. The independent drive device includes measurement device for generating information representative of a relative speed of rotation of the second coupling member and the first coupling member. The drive device is associated with a motor controller that causes the motor to rotate so as to cancel the relative speed of rotation between the coupling members prior to coupling them together.