Air Warfare

Navigating the Waters of Modern Warfare: The Role of Maritime Unmanned Aerial Systems

19th July 2024

In today's dynamic world of modern warfare, marked by rapid technological innovation, Maritime Uncrewed Systems (MUS) have become indispensable.

Air Warfare

Leonardo’s cutting-edge uncrewed technology preparing for flight

8th July 2024

Further to learnings and technology developed through the first two phases of the RWUAS programme, Leonardo is now creating a 2-3t demonstration aircraft that will have modularity at its core.

Air Warfare

Shield AI to provide V-BAT UAS to US Coast Guard

3rd July 2024

The V-BAT series aircraft is a single-engine ducted fan platform that can launch and recover from a hover and fly on wing in horizontal flight. It can operate as a flexible platform capable of performing Group 2 to Group 5 UAS missions and beyond.

Air Warfare

Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UASs: Transforming Modern Warfare with Agility and Adaptability

6th June 2024

How the Orbiter 4 VTOL UAS Delivers the Operational Capabilities and Flexibility Required to Revolutionize the Modern Battlefield.

Air Warfare

Bell Textron and Boeing’s Aurora selected for next phase of DARPA’s X-Plane

29th May 2024

The Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) project, a joint DARPA/US Special Operations Command effort to design, build and fly an X-plane, will attempt to demonstrate the key technologies and integrated concepts that enable a transformational combination of aircraft speed and runway independence.

Land Warfare

US Army chooses Textron Systems and Griffon Aerospace in final showdown for FTUAS

26th April 2024

The US Army plans to procure a Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) to replace the Textron Systems RQ-7Bv2 Shadow tactical UAV currently in service with the US Army's Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). The FTUAS is being developed under the wider Future UAS (FUAS) programme.

Uncrewed Vehicles

UAE orders 200 EDGE uncrewed cargo and ISR helicopters

25th January 2024

The UAE has awarded a substantial contract to EDGE Group for 200 uncrewed helicopters at UMEX 2024.

Air Warfare

Airbus boosts UAS portfolio with Aerovel acquisition and vertical takeoff drone

17th January 2024

Airbus Helicopters has acquired Aerovel and its VTOL UAS to advance the development of its own platforms including the VSR700.

Military UAS - tactical

VTOL UAV (ROKA)

Programme Background All branches of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces are placing a large emphasis on the procurement of unmanned systems to improve ISR ...

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 - 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 - 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 ...

Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

Cargo UAV (Turkey)

Programme Background Inception & Requirment Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) initiated a programme to procure VTOL-capable cargo drones in June 2018. These were planned for ...

Military UAS - small

Small UAV (Colombia)

Programme Background Many of the Colombian military's UAVs are operated by the Colombian Air Force, but the Colombian Army has also employed several different types ...

Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

Parrot Anafi (Singapore)

Programme Background On 7 February 2022, the Singapore Army posted photographs on Facebook that showed the Anafi UAV used as training devices in a five-day ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

Ship-Bourne VTOL UAV [Singapore]

Programme Background Multi-Role Combat Vessel  The Republic of Singapore Navy will retire its class of six Victory-class corvettes and replace them with a new platform ...

OPVs

OPVs Procurement [Greece]

Programme Background Requirements According to the RFI issued in late 2022, the Hellenic Coast Guard is seeking to procure two new OPVs. The vessels are ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

Artillery UAV [Thailand]

Programme Background Requirement & Replacement The Royal Thai Army (RTA) was understood to be seeking a new tactical UAV to replace four legacy Israel Aerospace Industries ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

M Solar-X [Thailand]

Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

Tactical Drone System Light (SDTL) [France]

Programme Background The French 2024-2030 military programme unveiled the SDTL for the special forces and the French Army. According to reports, the requirement would cover 30 ...

Military UAS - rotary-wing

Project Proteus [UK]

Programme Background Requirements The RN requires an uncrewed helicopter to test the viability of larger uncrewed aircraft for the RN, possibly providing an alternative to crewed ...

Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

Programme Background Tender Notice & Timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

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 ...

Ikarus

The Ikarus is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for various roles, including agricultural survey, industrial inspection, search and rescue, and all aspects of health and safety ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

Spider VTOL

The Spider VTOL is a mini electrical fixed-wing UAV. Unlike traditional VTOL UAVs with dedicated motors, propellors and structural parts for performing take-off and landing, the Spider ...

Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

VTOL UAV

The Defence Technology Institute launched the VTOL UAV R&D; project in cooperation with the Naval Research and Development Office, Royal Thai Navy and private sector ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing

Zala VTOL

Manufactured by Zala Aero Group, the ZALA VTOL is a hybrid platform that can be operated both as a fixed-wing and rotary-wing UAV due to ...

Lynx VTOL

The Lynx VTOL aircraft takes off like a helicopter, flies like a fixed-wing aircraft and is used for precision agriculture and surveying. It has an ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

Argus VTOL

The Argus VTOL, currently in development, is part of the Argus family of UAVs manufactured by Free Horizons, which also features the Argus Predator Mk ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

Rakshak VTOL

The Rakshak VTOL is a fixed-wing UAV with an EO/IR sensor for ISR missions. Developed by TATA Advanced Systems, the UAV is VTOL-capable, allowing it to operate ...

Air: aerial targets

Viking VTOL

The Viking VTOL is an aerial target designed to mimic the size and flight characteristics of most larger, Group 1 (and potentially Group 2) platforms.  Boresight has ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

Pro VTOL

The Pro VTOL is a fixed-wing UAV from DeltaQuad. It is available in three models, the Map, View and Cargo variants, which primarily impact the attached payload. ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

Stream C VTOL

At IDEX 2019, Threod Systems unveiled a new version of the Stream C UAS, capable of VTOL manoeuvres. Known as the Stream C VTOL, this ...

Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

Zala 421-22

The Zala 421-22 is a rotary-wing UAV designed for ship- or land-based reconnaissance and surveillance, bomb damage assessment and real-time target acquisition. The VTOL UAV ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

SR-10 VTOL

Deftech showcased the SR-10 VTOL at DSA 2022. It has been locally designed in Malaysia to conduct aerial mapping, surveillance and line inspection missions. The hand-launched platform is powered ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

H6 Poseidon

Manufactured by Swarmly, the H6 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV. The second largest member of the Poseidon family, the vertical lift is provided through ...

RMAX

The RMAX is a remotely piloted UAV that was developed in the 1990s for industrial and farming applications, including aerial spraying. The UAV can also ...