Unmanned Systems: Air, Ground & Maritime
Unmanned systems across all domains: aerial, ground and maritime drones in defence and security.
Ground drones for frontline logistics: Arx Robotics quintuples its Gereon fleet in Ukraine
Several hundred more Gereon vehicles for the Ukrainian Armed Forces: Arx Robotics is responding to demand for ground drones, while Kyiv plans to procure 25,000 new systems in the first half of the year alone.
FPV drones in the Austrian Armed Forces: the lessons training aims to draw from drone warfare
Two weeks to basic FPV skills, drone building within a few days: at the Theresian Military Academic Forum (TMAF) in Wiener Neustadt, speakers showed how the Theresian Military Academy intends to bring FPV drones into training.
Interceptor drone Sting: Wild Hornets report shooting down jet-powered Shaheds
Jet-powered Shaheds were long considered too fast and too high for small interceptors. Ukrainian manufacturer Wild Hornets now reports several hits by its Sting interceptor drone, in some cases controlled from hundreds of kilometres away.
Sea drones from Aselsan: Kiliç and Tufan debut at SAHA 2026 in Istanbul
Aselsan used a launch event in Istanbul to show new sea drones for operations above and below the water. In focus: the Kiliç platform family and the Tufan surface vehicle, both designed for swarm operations.
MQ-9B SkyGuardian for Austria: what the GA-ASI drone is meant to offer the Austrian Armed Forces
Austria faces a turning point in defence procurement. GA-ASI is positioning the MQ-9B SkyGuardian as the answer: with reconnaissance, precision strike, certification for civil airspace and de-icing for operations in the mountains.
Drone warfare in Ukraine: drone pilots are running out of targets
Kyiv aimed to take out up to 50,000 Russian soldiers a month in 2026; actual Russian losses currently stand at more than 30,000. An adviser to the defence minister offers a surprising explanation for the gap in drone warfare: there are enough drones, but not enough enemies.
Unmanned tanker MQ-25A Stingray: first aircraft for the US Navy completes maiden flight
An unmanned tanker for aircraft carriers is drawing closer: Boeing has flown the US Navy's first MQ-25A for two hours, including the MD-5 ground control station. Further test flights and carrier qualification at Patuxent River will follow.
Cardboard drones: Japan's military turns to Air Kamui's Airkamuy
Defence Minister Shinjirō Koizumi has visited the start-up Air Kamui in Nagoya. The Japanese navy already uses its cardboard drones as aerial targets; one-way swarms for reconnaissance would be a further option.
Naval drones from Hamburg: Rheinmetall Kraken starts series production of the Kraken K3 Scout
The first Kraken K3 Scout naval drones are rolling off the line at Blohm+Voss in Hamburg. Around 200 units a year are planned initially, up to 1,000 if orders allow. The joint venture is now called Rheinmetall Kraken GmbH.
Ground drones in infantry operations: Belgian battalion Bvr/5 Li tests Gnom and Unl in Leopoldsburg
Two exercises that had already been planned served as a testing ground: the Belgian battalion Bvr/5 Li has integrated ground drones into infantry operations under realistic conditions. No procurement decision is attached to the trials.
Ground drones for the front: Ukrainian Ministry of Defence approves the Bizon-L UGV
Six communication channels, up to 300 kilograms of payload, tracked chassis: the Bizon-L is now one of the ground drones cleared for use in the Ukrainian armed forces. The Ministry of Defence aims to make up to 100 per cent of front-line logistics robotic.
Drone swarm with AI: Stark brings Virtus and Minerva to Bundeswehr exercise
Reconnaissance drones, command software and loitering munitions in one network: Stark took part with Virtus and Minerva in further Bundeswehr tests of the AI-supported drone swarm. An operational capability is to be in place by 2027.
Drones for Ukraine: Estonia provides 110 million euros in military aid in 2026
Estonia is spending at least 0.25 per cent of its GDP on military aid in 2026 – with the focus on drones for Ukraine and counter-drone systems. Added to this are funds for digitalising the Ukrainian military and a declaration of intent on weapons production.