Unmanned Systems News
The latest news on unmanned systems, counter-UAS and the defence industry, from Europe and around the world.
Loitering munition MTO-LP1: Thales and Mistral subsidiary Boreal agree on joint production
A range of several hundred kilometres, ready for launch in under 30 minutes: Thales and Boreal plan to produce the MTO-LP1 loitering munition together. First flight tests are scheduled for summer 2025.
Underwater drone Scout: Dutch Ministry of Defence cooperates with Lobster Robotics
Signed on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague: the Netherlands plan to further develop the “Scout” underwater drone together with Lobster Robotics and bring a military version into service with the navy.
Counter-drone with drones: how Ukraine intercepts Geran-2 and reconnaissance drones in the air
Russia produces the Geran-2 in numbers that air defence missiles cannot keep pace with. Ukraine is therefore increasingly relying on its own drones for counter-drone defence – from quadcopter FPVs to dedicated interceptors such as the Sting.
Former Bundestag member Johannes Arlt becomes Senior Vice President at Stark
People and appointments: to expand partnerships in Europe and open up the Nordic markets, the German loitering munition manufacturer Stark is bringing in Johannes Arlt, until now a member of the Bundestag and a career officer.
Unmanned Systems / Aerial DronesMALE drone Aarok: Turgis Gaillard and Thales build French ISR platform with AirMaster S
A MALE drone made entirely in France, equipped with an AI-supported AESA radar: Turgis Gaillard and Thales combine the Aarok with the AirMaster S, which has already proven itself on the “Atlantique 2”.
Loitering munition from KNDS: Mataris family with four systems for short and medium range
Four systems, one name: under Mataris, KNDS France bundles its loitering munition together with Delair and EOS Technologie. One model is already flying in Ukraine, a second is about to enter service in France, a third is to mature by year-end.
Electronic warfare for light drones: Thales presents EW solution at the Paris Air Show
Units without electronic warfare specialists should in future be able to detect, locate and analyse electromagnetic activity themselves: that is the aim of a compact EW payload for light drones that Thales is bringing to the Paris Air Show.
Military drone Pele: General Atomics brings launched effect for the MQ-9B Sky Guardian to Paris
A small military drone that launches from the MQ-9B or from the ground and flies ahead where it is too dangerous for the carrier aircraft: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is showing Pele for export customers at the Paris Air Show.
MQ-9B as unmanned early warning platform: Saab and General Atomics work on joint UAEW solution
Swedish radar technology on an American drone: Saab and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems want to develop the MQ-9B into an unmanned airborne early warning platform. A first flight of an AEW version is planned from 2026.
Loitering munition from the helicopter: UVision makes the Hero-120 helicopter-capable
Utility and attack helicopters as launch platforms: at the Paris Air Show, Israeli company UVision Air shows how its Hero-120 loitering munition can be deployed from the air without deep changes to avionics or fire control.
Unmanned systems in Ukraine: Robert “Magyar” Brovdi becomes commander of the drone forces
From volunteer with a privately bought DJI drone to commander of the service branch “Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”: the path of Robert “Magyar” Brovdi and his “Birds of Magyar” from Kyiv via Bakhmut and Krynky to brigade.
Border surveillance from space and air: TRL combines satellite, drones and AI into one system
A microsatellite, two drones and a cloud platform: at IDET in Brno, TRL Space, TRL Drones, Zaitra and Corac Engineering show a border surveillance solution that became operational in seven months and already has its first customer.
Unmanned systems technology: Quantum Systems' Mosaic UXS software suite unites platforms from several vendors
One operator, many platforms: Quantum Systems presents Mosaic UXS, a command-and-control solution in unmanned systems technology to control its own and third-party drones and unmanned ground and maritime platforms together – without vendors disclosing their intellectual property.