• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: Demand for UAV operations challenges training (video)

  29th November 2016

  CAE debuted its new Block 30 MQ-9 Reaper simulator/demonstrator at I/ITSEC in Orlando. The demonstrator also took part in the Operation Blended Warrior LVC event. …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: Presagis presents Heli Craft simulator (video)

  29th November 2016

  Presagis has launched its Craft series of customisable simulation platforms at I/ITSEC in Orlando. The new simulator series includes Heli Craft and UAV Craft.  The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Certifiable Predator B flies in California

  1st December 2016

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 28 November that its Type-Certifiable Predator B (TCPB) variant has successfully completed its first flight test at Gray …

• Land Warfare

  Turkmenistan shows new weapons

  23rd November 2016

  A lavish military parade held in Turkmenistan’s capital Ashkhabad to celebrate the 25th anniversary of country’s independence has revealed the previous unimaginable scale of new …

• Naval Warfare

  Analysis: Waters rage in South China Sea (Part 2)

  14th December 2016

  In Part 1 of this analysis, Shephard looked in some detail at Chinese and Taiwanese reactions to the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s (PCA) ruling on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RIMS offers offshore UAV inspections

  15th November 2016

  Netherlands-based Robotica in Maintenance Strategies (RIMS) has launched inspections services for the maritime and offshore industry using the Elios UAV, the company announced on 9 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Avenger ER UAV takes flight

  14th November 2016

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 10 November the successful first flight of its new Avenger Extended Range (ER) UAV. The flight took place …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  I/ITSEC 2016: Elbit introduces B-SIM for Hermes 900 HFE

  21st November 2016

  Elbit Systems has contracted Bagira Switzerland to supply the B-SIM, an arena and image simulator, for its Hermes 900 HFE multi-payload unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2016: ECA looks to land sim domain

  24th November 2016

  While probably best known for its work in the maritime domain, ECA Group will attend this year’s I/ITSEC in Orlando, Florida, showcasing its latest work …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Rustom II takes maiden flight

  17th November 2016

  Although long delayed, the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out the maiden flight of the Rustom II medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV on 16 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Monaco installs UAS countermeasures

  21st November 2016

  The principality of Monaco has installed a counter-UAS system to protect the city against threats posed by small unmanned aircraft.  The system has been operational …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SUAV flies with DAA radar

  11th November 2016

  Echodyne has announced on 8 November the first successful test of an airborne Detect and Avoid (DAA) radar onboard a small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV), …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK nears end of Protector road

  17th November 2016

  The acquisition by the UK of the next generation Certifiable Predator B (CPB), which will be known as Protector when in service, has moved a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  App to the future

  15th November 2016

  A new British company believes it has a solution to one of the major challenges to expansion of the unmanned aircraft industry - air-traffic control.  …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Altarnative power for C-Astral Bramor

  7th November 2016

  Alta Devices will work to further integrate its thin film solar technology into the newly unveiled Bramor ppX-LRS long range solar UAV, following the successful …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  Programme Background  Relationship to the Heavy Lift Challange The Royal Navy (RN) embarked on the Heavy Lift Challenge, now called the Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), to explore ...

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

  Carrier-UAV: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

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

  StormShroud: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Mini UAV (Bulgaria)

  Programme Background The Bulgarian Army wants to procure UAVs to enhance the organic tactical ISR capabilities of its ground forces. According to Bulgarian media, a ...

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

  Mini UAV - Land Exploration and Reconnaissance Vehicle (VERT) [Spain]

  Background VERT In June 2025, the Spanish Government announced a €72 million (US$82.5 million) investment in the Vehículo de exploración y reconocimiento terrestre (VERT), which translates ...

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

  Micro UAV - Land Exploration and Reconnaissance Vehicle (VERT) [Spain]

  Background VERT In June 2025, the Spanish Government announced a €72 million (US$82.5 million) investment in the Vehículo de exploración y reconocimiento terrestre (VERT), which translates to the land exploration ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Mi2 Challenge [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The USN wants a UAV to be flown in austere environments without dedicated launch or recovery equipment; since it would be launched ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAV (Bulgaria)

  Programme Background The Bulgarian Army wants to procure UAVs to enhance the organic tactical ISR capabilities of its ground forces. According to Bulgarian media, a ...

• 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 - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Thor [Israel]

  Background Various Contracts On 3 December 2024, the Israeli Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced it had purchased “advanced drones and autonomous systems” from Elbit Systems in various ...

• 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 - small

  Penguin C (Latvia)

  Programme Background In 2018, the Latvian MoD signed an agreement with Latvian companies UAV Factory and Atlas Aerospace to procure UAVs for the LNAF. Under ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Family of UAVs [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background RfP The Bangladesh Army released a 106-page tender document to gather information about different platforms that would enable the force to "standardise" its UAV ...

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

  Tempest 50 [USAF]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 18 December 2024, the US DoD announced that the USAF had awarded Firestorm Labs a $100 million Small Business Innovation Research ...

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

  UAV-2 Gavilan [Ecuador]

  Background Domestic Development Development of the UAV-2 Gavilan by CIDFAE began in 2009, with the FAE unveiling the UAV in 2014. Reportedly, the FAE has five ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  AR5

  First announced in October 2012, the AR5 is a MALE UAS designed for SAR, surveillance and maritime patrol missions. The AR5 can be flown manually or commanded ...

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

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

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

  AR3

  The AR3, or AR3 Net Ray, is an autonomous small-UAS designed to support land-based and maritime missions.  In May 2025, the Royal Air Force announced ...

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

  AR2 Carcará

  The AR2 Carcará is a hand- or catapult-launched mini-UAV designed to support search and rescue, surveillance and patrol operations in amphibious and maritime environments. It is ...

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

  AR4

  The AR4 is a hand-launched mini-UAS designed for rapid mobile deployment. Manufactured by Tekever, the UAS is suitable for both military and commercial ISTAR applications.  A ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8N

  The PT-8D is an IR system from Overwatch Imaging. It is fitted with multiple HD thermal cameras and has been designed to conduct missions at dusk ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8D

  Marketed as a cost-effective solution, the PT-8D is a wide-area search and ISR payload from Overwatch Imaging. It features an RGB colour camera and a ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8DN

  The PT-8DN is a versatile day-night payload from Overwatch Imaging.  It has dual RGB sensors of different focal lengths and an HD LWIR sensor. It also ...

• 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, Military UAS - tactical

  MCOM UAV

  The Mundo Compuesto (MCOM) UAV is a fixed-wing UAV designed to provide surveillance during both day and night for military and security force users. It uses ...

• Universal UAV

  Universal UAV is designed for multiple missions in the field of surveillance and reconnaissance, monitoring forest fires or fisheries. It consists of a carbon-fibre composite ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  UAV TRS

  Celestia’s UAV Tactical Recovery System (TRS) assures controlled and safe landing of a UAV at a pre-designated GPS location. It can be deployed on command ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAV Simulators

  Elbit Systems has developed simulation systems to train personnel in UAV operation, from generic UAV training for initial screening procedures up to full mission, high-fidelity ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAV Training

  Resource UAS offers a range of UAV training, from foundation courses to live flying on a range of aircraft. Each can be tailored to suit ...

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

  QTP-UAV

  The Quad Tilt Prop UAV (QTP-UAV) is an electric platform that is designed to provide VTOL capability with high-speed horizontal flight.