• Special Operations

  SOCOM moves from ThunderDrone to Game of Drones

  19th December 2017

  In the aftermath of its recently-completed ThunderDrone Prototype Rodeo, held in early November at the SOFWERX facility in the Ybor City area of Tampa, Florida, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Commtact unveils M2DLS data link system

  23rd November 2017

  Commtact has unveiled a newly developed Mini-Micro Data Link System (M2DLS) for aerial and ground applications. M2DLS is an advanced and reliable combined digital data …

• Naval Warfare

  Stretched corvette design sketched by Saab

  24th November 2017

  Saab is working to conceptualise and design a new family of surface vessels for the Royal Swedish Navy (RSN), with capabilities that it thinks will …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai Airshow 2017: UMS Skeldar soaring into Middle East

  16th November 2017

  UMS Skeldar will be conducting flight campaigns with its R-350 VTOL platform in the Middle Eastern region next year. A new enhanced version of the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  D&S 2017: Thai military’s UAV research bears fruit

  9th November 2017

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is working on a platform called the Fixed-wing UAV with VTOL-Enabling Capability (FUVEC), displaying one of four prototypes at the …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG’s sUAS for NSC programme achieves milestone

  25th October 2017

  The US Coast Guard’s (USCG) small UAS National Security Cutter (NSC) programme has received approval to progress to the next phase, the USCG announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Israeli firms showcase unmanned technologies

  5th November 2017

  At the recently held AUS&R; exhibition near Tel Aviv a range of unmanned technologies were showcased to visiting delegates. Unmanned capabilities continue to effect current …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ​ADEX 2017: IAI/Hankuk announce joint UAV venture

  18th October 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Korea-based Hankuk Carbon signed an agreement establishing a new joint venture company, Korea Aviation Technologies (KAT), to be based in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADEX 2017: Uconsystem and Firstec expand ranges

  19th October 2017

  Uconsystem, a South Korean manufacturer of UAVs, demonstrated a strong move into the commercial market at Seoul ADEX 2017 as it builds upon military sales …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Air Hopper demonstrated to IDF

  20th October 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is continuing the development of its Air Hopper VTOL UAS platform, having recently completed a proof of concept demonstration to Israeli …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADEX 2017: Korean Air promotes crewless aircraft

  17th October 2017

  Amongst its range of UAVs covering the tactical to strategic levels the Aerospace Business Division of Korean Air showed a new type known as the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aerosonde SUAS achieves milestone with Volz Servos

  25th September 2017

  Textron Systems’ Aerosonde Mk4.7 small UAS has achieved over 200,000 flight hours using Volz Servos’ DA 15-N actuators, it was announced on 20 September. Textron …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Pacific 2017: Schiebel and Skeldar spar in Australia

  6th October 2017

  Australia is shaping up as a battleground for suppliers of rotary-winged UAVs as the country’s military eyes future acquisitions. Two top contenders are Schiebel and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian Army airs UAV ambitions

  9th October 2017

  The Australian Army laid out its road map for future UAVs at the Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney on 4 October. Lt Col Keirin …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Honeywell launches UAS inspection service

  11th September 2017

  Honeywell has launched its first commercial UAS inspection service under a collaboration with Intel, the company announced on 6 September.  The InView inspection service will …

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 ...

• 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

  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 - 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 ...

• 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 - 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, 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...