• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aerosonde HQ small footprint, big travels

  20th October 2016

  Textron Systems has demonstrated its Aerosonde hybrid quad (HQ) SUAS variant in front of existing and prospective customers from the military and commercial sectors. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2016: VTOL meets fixed-wing (video)

  4th October 2016

  Textron Systems is showcasing its Hybrid-quad Aerosonde variant at AUSA 2016 in Washington DC ahead of testing to both military and commercial customers in October. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2016: V-247 to provide pivotal vigilance

  27th September 2016

  Bell Helicopter has unveiled its unmanned VTOL concept, the V-247 Vigilant tiltrotor, which it hopes will meet the US Marine Corps’ (USCM) requirement for a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Cormorant UAV expands flight testing

  19th September 2016

  Urban Aeronautics’ wholly owned subsidiary Tactical Robotics has expanded the flight testing of its Cormorant UAV as it works to expand the system's flight envelope. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Taiwan mulls at-sea unmanned technology

  19th September 2016

  The Camcopter S-100 appeared at Taiwan’s Kaohsiung International Maritime & Defence Exhibition as the Austrian manufacturer aligns it towards Coast Guard Administration (CGA) requirements. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China Customs UAS delivered

  7th September 2016

  Delivery of three CybAero vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS ordered by Jolly for Chinese Customs have now been delivered. The APID 60 vertical take-off …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar has ‘an advantage’ in German Navy tender

  2nd September 2016

  As the expectation grows ahead of a German Navy tender for the procurement of a VTOL maritime UAS capability, officials at UMS Skeldar are confident …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army REF to assess PARC system

  21st July 2016

  CyPhy Works’ Persistent Aerial Reconnaissance and Communications (PARC) system is to be assessed by the US Army’s Rapid Equipping Force (REF), with an order for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2016: Unmanned Hoverbike set for production

  14th July 2016

  Malloy Aeronautics is pushing ahead with the development of its unmanned Hoverbike and expects to be ready to begin production in 2017, Shephard learned at Farnborough …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2016: Next test phase for Spy‘Ranger

  11th July 2016

  Thales is continuing the development of the Spy‘Ranger UAS as the system concludes its industrial test phase and is looking into methods to improve battery …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CybAero to deliver three UAS in August

  29th June 2016

  CybAero and Chinese company Jolly have agreed that three UAS ordered by Jolly will be delivered in August 2016, CybAero announced on 27 June. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-8B deploys with new radar

  29th June 2016

  An MQ-8B Fire Scout recently deployed with the USS Coronado to begin flight operations using its new AN/ZPY-4(V)1 maritime surveillance radar. In a release from …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Tern two for NG in Phase 3

  20th June 2016

  Northrop Grumman will build a second prototype UAV for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), it has been revealed. In an announcement on 17 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Eurosatory: Miniaturisation opens new markets

  14th June 2016

  VTQ Videotronik and Aerolution have collaborated in an exclusive partnership to develop an optical payload for the Songbird 500 VTOL UAS family. It is nearing …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ariadna project makes progress

  26th May 2016

  The European Ariadna project has taken new steps toward the integration of manned and unmanned vehicle operation in non-segregated airspace, with the simultaneous flight of …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Nano VTOL [USMC]

  In April 2024, the USMC released a document outlining its drone strategy and how it intended to achieve its uncrewed ambitions. The document contained various ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Nano VTOL [USMC]

  In April 2024, the USMC released a document outlining its drone strategy and how it intended to achieve its uncrewed ambitions. The document contained various ...

• 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 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | ISR Drone (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  As part of its pledged €2 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2024, the Netherlands announced in March 2024 that it had secured a ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | ISR Drone (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  As part of its pledged €2 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2024, the Netherlands announced in March 2024 that it had secured a ...

• 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 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | ISR Drones (First Batch) (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  The Netherlands announced in March 2024 that it had secured a more than €200 million contract for new ISR drones. The MoD's press release confirmed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | ISR Drones (First Batch) (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  The Netherlands announced in March 2024 that it had secured a more than €200 million contract for new ISR drones. The MoD's press release confirmed ...

• 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 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Micro VTOL [USMC]

  In April 2024, the USMC released a document outlining its drone strategy and how it intended to achieve its uncrewed ambitions. The document contained various ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Micro VTOL [USMC]

  In April 2024, the USMC released a document outlining its drone strategy and how it intended to achieve its uncrewed ambitions. The document contained various ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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

  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 ...

• 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 - 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 ...

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

  Penguin C VTOL

  The Penguin C VTOL is the VTOL version of the Penguin C MIL Mk2; hence it is sometimes called the Penguin C Mk2 VTOL. Edge ...

• 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 ...