DSEI 2023: Tekever to open new UK site, hints at scaled-up MALE UAV project

At DSEI 2023, Tekever unveiled its plans to establish a new facility at West Wales Airport in Aberporth, UK. The primary purpose of this site is to facilitate R&D activities and conduct test flights for customers including the Home Office, RAF and RN.

As part of its expansion strategy, Tekever anticipates a remarkable 50% growth in its UK team throughout 2023. Over the next three years, this initiative is expected to create an additional 200 job opportunities, spread across its two UK sites in Aberporth and Southampton.

According to a company representative, the newly established base at West Wales Airport will significantly bolster Tekever's R&D capabilities and enable the company to undertake product development entirely within the UK. 

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The choice of West Wales Airport was rooted in its ability to provide secure and isolated airspace for testing and evaluating UAV software and hardware. This environment allows Tekever to develop technology tailored to the specific needs of its customers. 

Although the site will cater for global clients, emphasis will be placed on projects with sensitive requirements that must be executed exclusively within the UK.

According to Ricardo Mendes, CEO of Tekever, the company is going to use the UK infrastructure for improving existing products and developing new ones.

'We are continuously working on the existing product lines, he told Shephard. 'So, there we have very high development rates. Every few weeks, there's new versions of all the products. In addition, we are developing new products. 

'For example, we're developing a significantly larger system that will be in the market in the next next few years. The idea is to be able to allow our customers to cover a much more significant area carrying a lot of other payloads. 

'The systems are not developed specifically, in a certain location; our different product development teams are spread throughout our locations, and they all contribute to the product development cycle.'

At the moment, Tekever’s largest product the AR5 MALE UAV which has wingspan of 7.9m, endurance of 20h and can carry a payload of up to 50kg. It uses a SATCOM terminal which allows the drone to be controlled at any distance from a C2 centre. Considering this, it can be assumed that company is developing a larger model of MALE UAV.

Shephard's DSEI 2023 coverage is sponsored by: