Eurosatory 2026: Windracers highlights UK drone momentum

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British company Windracers is highlighting the operational maturity of its ULTRA autonomous aircraft at Eurosatory 2026 as demand for heavy-lift uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) continues to grow across defence and civil markets.

ULTRA is a dual-use autonomous platform capable of carrying payloads exceeding 150kg over distances of up to 2,000km. According to the company, the aircraft is currently operating in environments including Ukraine, the High North, Central Africa and the Scottish Highlands.

The Eurosatory appearance comes shortly after Windracers was selected as one of three primary suppliers under the UK government’s £752 million drone support package for Ukraine, announced in April. The package includes 120,000 drones intended to strengthen Ukrainian operational capability.

Windracers ULTRA has been deployed in Ukraine since 2023, where the platform has been used to support long-range logistics missions in contested environments.

Regulatory reform

The company has also been recognised as part of UK government efforts to accelerate drone adoption alongside  advanced air mobility. In May, the Department for Transport announced almost £50 million of investment aimed at supporting drone regulation reform, digital infrastructure and the wider adoption of autonomous aviation technologies.

Windracers said these developments reflected growing recognition of the role autonomous aircraft can play in both military and civilian applications.

Stephen Wright, founder and chairman of Windracers, previously described regulatory reform and targeted investment as key enablers for scaling autonomous aviation operations.

The company positions ULTRA as a sovereign capability able to operate in challenging conditions while supporting a range of missions including defence logistics, humanitarian aid and remote supply operations.

As armed forces increasingly examine the lessons of Ukraine and seek resilient logistics solutions, autonomous cargo aircraft are expected to attract growing attention at Eurosatory alongside more traditional intelligence, surveillance and strike-focused drone systems.