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
-
USAF opens B-52 upgrade to new companies as major programmes fall behind schedule
The US Air Force is seeking additional contractors to support communications upgrades for the B-52, while multiple Stratofortress modernisation programmes continue to experience delays, cost growth and technical challenges.
-
July drone digest: Sovereign production takes centre stage at Farnborough
Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2026 revealed the growing scale of the UK’s uncrewed ambitions, with companies showcasing new CCA, autonomous wingmen and surveillance drones, while sovereign production emerged as a key factor for multiple programmes.
-
July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop
The biannual Farnborough International Airshow 2026 was the backdrop in July for scores of deals, partnerships and announcements, including developments in the multinational next-generation Global Combat Air Programme and the UK’s $486 million trainer aircraft requirement.
-
Maximise survivability with advanced electronic warfare (video)
BAE Systems’ all-digital EW delivers 360-degree threat awareness in contested environments, boosts survivability, and cuts lifecycle costs.
-
US Air Force seeks avionics upgrades for ageing T-38 Talon as T-7A Red Hawk delays persist
The USAF is looking for commercial avionics solutions to improve the T-38 Talon’s reliability, readiness and flight safety as continued T-7A Red Hawk delays increase the likelihood that the legacy trainer will remain in service longer than planned.