MD Helicopters teams with The UAV Leasing Company
The UAV Leasing Company will sell and lease helicopters, like this MD-530F. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
The UAV Leasing Company and MD Helicopters (MDHI) have announced a general representation agreement that will allow the former to sell and lease new MDHI Helicopters.
The UAV Leasing Company’s core product is an uncrewed long-endurance CS23 platform for border patrol or maritime surveillance.
This agreement paves the way to selling crewed helicopters for short law enforcement missions so proposing a full turn-key solution to governmental agencies.
The agreement includes Ethiopia, France, Ireland, Russia, Ukraine, India, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland.
The UAV Leasing Company is the first UAV-focused company to represent a historic crewed aircraft OEM.
MDHI’s flagship machine, the MD-530F, is mostly used for law enforcement and aerial works currently.
According to Shephard Defence Insight, the MD-530F is a scout attack helicopter, engineered to operate effectively in hot-and-high environments.
However, The UAV Leasing Company also wishes to develop aerial taxi services with this type of helicopter on very short flights due to the competitiveness of the platform in terms of maintenance and operating costs.
The UAV Leasing Company aims to tailor modern and effective hybrid airborne solutions and to become a one stop shop for governmental agencies requiring extremely long monitoring missions as well as rapid deployment platforms.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
India elevates defence systems to boost mountain surveillance
India has strengthened its focus on terrain-adaptive intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance following recent incursions and drone activity along the country’s northern borders.
-
Germany signs contract for 20 Tranche 5 Eurofighters
The aircraft will be delivered between 2031 and 2034 and will be upgraded with the latest electronic warfare capabilities to the EK configuration.
-
Saab receives order to continue future fighter concept studies out to 2027
The order from the FMV is an extension of the original contract signed in March 2024 and covers exploration of both crewed and uncrewed platforms.
-
AUSA 2025: GA-ASI and Hanwha to produce Gray Eagle STOL in South Korea
The Gray Eagle STOL will be made available to several international militaries, with initial customer delivery planned for 2028.
-
AUSA 2025: AeroVironment showcases new variant of Switchblade loitering munition family
The new Switchblade 400 was on display alongside new variants of existing drones: the Switchblade 600 Block 2 and Switchblade 300 Block 20.