British Army’s Project Corvus selection highlights new era of drone sovereignty
The AR5 acquired through Project Corvus will be built in Tekever’s soon-to-be-open Swindon manufacturing facility. (Photo: Tekever)
The UK’s choice of the Tekever AR5 for Project Corvus reflects a wider shift in military drone procurement towards solutions that centre on sovereignty and domestic production, moving away from overseas reliance.
In the immediate aftermath of the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2026, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 25 July that the Tekever AR5 surveillance drone had been selected for an up to £400 million (US$533 million) deal to replace the ageing Watchkeeper drones through Project Corvus. Notably, the announcement confirmed that the procurement programme had transitioned from an open competition to a direct award.
In a statement issued by Tekever, managing director Karl Brew said that the proposed deal “isn’t about a platform; it’s about building and sustaining sovereign capability that stays one step ahead of our adversaries”.
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