• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US DoD seeks to boost small drone industry

  6th September 2019

  A new Pentagon initiative is aiming to stimulate the development of a domestic SUAS industry to rival China’s DJI, the world’s leading provider of such …

• Special Operations

  SOF seeks expanded SUAS payloads

  29th August 2019

  The US Special Operations Command's (USSOCOM) SOFWERX collaboration enterprise is preparing to conduct a Capability Assessment Event focused on expanded mission payloads for small UAS (SUAS). …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2019: Steadicopter presents next generation Black Eagle 50 unmanned helicopter

  5th September 2019

  Steadicopter will present its next generation of the Black Eagle 50 unmanned helicopter at DSEI 2019. New capabilities include an inertial navigation system with no …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAVOS and ISR Unmanned Technologies launch new VTOL UAV

  22nd August 2019

  UAVOS and ISR Unmanned Technologies have jointly developed a new unmanned helicopter for commercial and security applications.  The ISR-350-5 is the result of the joint …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM looks to combat diver experimentation

  8th August 2019

  USSOCOM is preparing to hold a technical experimentation (TE) event focused on enhancing the capabilities of special operations forces combat swimmers/divers.  The upcoming event was …

• Land Warfare

  Elbit Systems tests new AFV

  5th August 2019

  Elbit Systems has concluded testing of its new Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV) as part of the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s CARMEL Future Combat Vehicle project. …

• Naval Warfare

  Independence variant LCS in SSMM testing

  30th July 2019

  The US Navy has carried out a successful structural test firing of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM) at the Point Mugu …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  EMSA's Camcopter S-100 mobilised for Croatia

  24th July 2019

  The European Maritime Safety Agency’s (EMSA’s) Camcopter S-100 will be mobilised for maritime surveillance services on behalf of the Maritime Safety Directorate of the Ministry …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Unmanned VTOL eyes fixed-wing real estate

  19th June 2019

  A rapidly maturing unmanned VTOL industrial base is pushing its platforms into contention for naval test and procurement programmes where it was thought only fixed-wing …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment acquires Pulse Aerospace

  14th June 2019

  AeroVironment announced on 11 June that it has acquired Pulse Aerospace, a developer and supplier of small VTOL UAS. Pulse Aerospace had recently been awarded …

• Digital Battlespace

  Navantia, SDLE develop new ISR solution

  7th June 2019

  Navantia and Star Defense Logistics & Engineering (SDLE) have developed a new Ground Surveillance Vehicle to meet the requirements of military intelligence units.Known as the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia calls on industry for new SUAS+

  16th May 2019

  The Australian Department of Defence has outlined its plan to acquire a small unmanned aerial system ‘plus’ (SUAS+) for use with the army, special forces and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Karem set to embark on new JMR-TD test phase

  6th June 2019

  Manufacturer Karem Aircraft is preparing to carry out ‘record tests’ later this year to verify a host of development-based items associated with the US Army’s …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Camcopter S-100 selected for Arctic 2030 project

  7th May 2019

  Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 UAS has been selected by Norway’s Andøya Test Center for extensive SAR trials as part of the Arctic 2030 project, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sea-Air-Space 2019: High Eye scales up unmanned operations

  9th May 2019

  High Eye, manufacturer of the small UAS two blade helicopter system HEF32, is preparing to significantly expand its operations by way of relocating to premises …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, on-demand ...

• Military UAS - small

  Aerosonde (Qatar)

  Programme Background The Qatar MoD has established the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center to carry out ISR missions for the Qatar Armed Forces. Among its roles ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Company Level Small Uncrewed Aircraft System (SUAS) Directed Requirement (DR) [US Army]

  Programme Background Requirement The US Army approved the Co-Level SUAS DR acquisition in June 2023 to supply Brigade Combat Teams with an "immediate, commercially available capability" to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  DEF129 (Small UAS Plus) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The army wanted up to 17 SUAS+ systems with a life of six years. The tender said the UAV would be issued ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  DEF129 (Small UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Australian Army identified a need for a small UAS to provide an organic ISR capability to units operating at the tactical ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Nightwarden (Qatar)

  Programme Background The Qatar MoD has established the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center to carry out ISR missions for the Qatar Armed Forces. Among its roles ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Scorpio 500 [US]

  Background Contract Award In December 2024, XTEND was awarded a US$8.8 million contract by the US Department of Defense (DoD) for its Scorpio 500. As reported by ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Embarked VTOL UAV [South Korea]

  Programme Background VTOL Development In January 2024, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it would commence development of a VTOL-capable rotary-wing UAV that ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Replicator 2 [US]

  Programme Background 1.0 The Replicator programme is a US effort to field thousands of attritable, autonomous systems across multiple domains before the end of 2025 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Camcopter S-300 [South Korea]

  Programme Background Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) On 18 January 2023, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Northop Grumman at a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  K1000ULE [USMC]

  Programme Background Contact Award After a comprehensive down-selection evaluation, Kraus Hamdani Aerospace's K1000ULE drone won the USN's PMA 263 contract in April 2024. The company will now provide the USN ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Micro VTOL [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  UAV Tactical Level [Norway]

  Programme Background Request for Information (RfI) In September 2022, the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) launched a request for information in preparation for a possible ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV (Malaysia)

  Programme Background Tender Issued As reported by Shephard, on 18 June 2021, Malaysia issued a tender for fixed-wing hybrid VTOL UAVs.  Requirement The tender stated that Malaysia required ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Aerosonde SUAS

  The Aerosonde SUAS comes from a long line of capable aircraft. The Aerosonde SUAS, like the Aerosonde fleet of aircraft, operates through contractor-owned and operated ...

• Scout

  The Scout is a VTOL sUAS designed for public safety, and commercial and industrial users. The system can be carried and operated by one person. 

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Aerosonde HQ SUAS

  The Aerosonde Hybrid Quadcopter (HQ) SUAS is the VTOL version of the Aerosonde SUAS. It combines the capabilities of a multi-rotor platform with the efficiency ...

• Percepto

  The Percepto is an all-in-one aerial solution for autonomous security, safety and inspection operations 24/7. The system operates autonomously to fulfil preplanned missions and responds ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Skylark II

  The Skylark II is a fixed-wing UAV that can be used for various military and security applications, including tactical covert surveillance and reconnaissance, perimeter security ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  CorvoX

  The CorvoX is a fixed-wing drone developed domestically by SYPAQ Systems. Unlike its sibling, the Corvo PPDS, the UAV is not made from cardboard. The drone's development ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  PD-1

  The People’s Drone-1 (PD-1) is a fixed-wing small UAV manufactured by Ukrspecsystems. It is modular and can be given VTOL capability in around 15 minutes. ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  T-Hawk Micro Air Vehicle

  The Honeywell T-Hawk Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) is a VTOL sUAS that has been used by the US military and the British Army to assist ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Skylark I-LEX

  The Skylark I-LEX is a mini-UAV manufactured by Elbit Systems.  Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2015, the UAV is designed for ISR operations. It enables ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  HPEM

  The High-Power Electro-Magnetics (HPEM) is a C-UAS system developed by Diehl Defence. It is intended to protect both military installations and public events against threats ...

• Counter-UAS systems, Land: Defensive Systems - DF systems

  PATS

  The Passive Aerial Threat Surveillance (PATS) sensor produced by Adsys Controls is a detection and tracking system capable of monitoring airspace for extremely low-signature airborne ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  C-100

  The C100 is a portable, packable mini rotary-wing UAV designed for long-range ISR and cargo-carrying tasks. Manfuaucted by Performance Drone Works (PDW), it features swappable payloads, an open ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Silent Falcon

  The Silent Falcon is a solar-electric sUAS with long-endurance capabilities for extended-range missions. The UAS can be used for commercial and military applications. The entire ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  EL-005

  The EL-005 is a two-stroke Otto cycle spark-ignited engine for unmanned aircraft, which is optimised for use with jet fuels. It has field-demonstrated levels of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Penguin B VTOL

  The Penguin B VTOL is a variant of the Penguin B platform manufactured by Edge Autonomy. Announced in June 2021, the variant is a reliable, long-endurance ...