• 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

  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

  Mayman Aerospace’s RAZOR drone completes first round of test flights

  27th September 2024

  The successful test flights of RAZOR were undertaken at a military base in southern California, where seven autonomous mission sets were completed. Additional test flights have been scheduled for later this year.

• 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

  Thunderstrike establishes major drone facility at Danish airport

  22nd August 2024

  The hangar will be used to eventually produce 200-300 drones per year.

• 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

  Quantum Systems unveils new Reliant UAS

  8th May 2024

  As well as the new UAS, Quantum Systems has outlined its plans to improve the capabilities of its existing platforms.

• Air Warfare

  WaveAerospace aims to launch production of new UAS platforms in 2025

  22nd October 2024

  WaveAerospace has been showcasing its MULE heavy-lift VTOL UAS, designed for contested logistics missions with a payload capacity of more than 40kg and up to four hours of endurance, while also introducing Huntress, a fast multirotor UAS. Both will be expected to enter production by 2025.

• Air Warfare

  Designs revealed for DARPA’s ANCILLARY VTOL UAS programme

  23rd May 2024

  Six bidders have been competing for DARPA’s AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) programme for a low-weight, large-payload, long-endurance VTOL uncrewed X-plane.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ukraine gets new Trinity drone donation from Quantum Systems

  2nd August 2024

  The Trinity, like the Vector, is a tactical surveying and imaging drone, used in Ukraine to assess the extent of war damage.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2024: Red Cat unveils Black Widow as development continues on Arachnid UAS family

  15th October 2024

  Red Cat has provided updates on its Arachnid family of UAS systems during AUSA this year, including potential launch dates for Black Widow, Fang and Trichon.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FTUAS competitor trials were “very successful”, says US Army official

  1st October 2024

  Prototypes from Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems recently passed through MOSA conformance trials and flight tests.

• 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.

• Air Warfare

  Just released: UAS Technology Report 2024 now available to read

  16th April 2024

  How shipboard UAVs are unlocking new concepts of operation for naval commanders

• Land Warfare

  USMC narrows down field for light loitering munition requirement

  15th April 2024

  The US Marine Corps selected a team of UVision and Mistral to meet a requirement for Organic Precision Fires Mounted (OPF-M) loitering munition in 2021. It has now awarded contracts for the soldier carried light (OPF-L) version after the success of similar systems in Ukraine highlighted the potential for such weapons.

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 ...