Unmanned Systems: Air, Ground & Maritime
Unmanned systems across all domains: aerial, ground and maritime drones in defence and security.
Unex ground drone: Ukraine approves amphibious all-terrain vehicle for its armed forces
More than 70 platforms took part in the country's largest UGV test. One of them, the amphibious Unex ground drone, was approved by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence on 17 April – with low-pressure tyres, electric drive and several variants.
Drone manufacturer Quantum Systems partners with Renk India for local production
Local production, maintenance and R&D: drone manufacturer Quantum Systems plans to expand its business in India together with Renk Gears Private, a subsidiary of the Renk Group. A memorandum of understanding on a strategic partnership has been signed.
FPV drones from 800 kilometres away: Russia tests “Orbita” control system
Test flights near Mariupol, controlled from Tula, and a hit in Ukraine triggered from a civilian office complex in Moscow: Russia wants to steer FPV drones over hundreds of kilometres. How the link is established remains unclear.
Loitering munition from Stark: One Way Effector-Vertical (OWE-V) comes to market
Vertical take-off, AI-supported and designed for an effective range of 100 kilometres: with the OWE-V, Stark is launching its first loitering munition system. At the same time, the company founded in 2024 has joined the UXS Alliance.
UAVs in a team: Airbus controls Primoco drones autonomously with Teaming Intelligence
In the Czech Republic, two Primoco One 150 aircraft shared surveillance areas and tasks – coordinated by Airbus’s Teaming Intelligence software. This is to allow operators to command several UAVs at once; the next step is to turn it into a product.
Military drones: Spain plans tender worth more than 200 million euros
Class I and II military drones are on the annual procurement plan of the Spanish Ministry of Defence. Which types will be bought remains open – according to Infodefensa, candidates include Aertec’s Tarsis and Airbus’s Sirtap.
Loitering munition: Chief of Defence Breuer wants the Bundeswehr firing it this year
Carsten Breuer is pushing for maximum acceleration: systems from Helsing and Stark are apparently in the running, initially for testing. The loitering munition is to close a capability gap in the German armed forces.
ARX Robotics expands to Britain: headquarters in London, production planned in South West England
ARX Robotics plans to invest a good 50 million euros in a British production and research site. Support comes from UK Defence Secretary John Healey and from the NATO Innovation Fund.
Fibre-optic drones in series production: eleven Ukrainian companies master the technology
More than 20 new models certified in the first quarter of 2025 alone, tests over 20 kilometres at Brave1: Ukraine is expanding production of fibre-optic drones. President Zelensky wants contracts geared to maximum capacity.
Drone strike on Saransk: Ukraine hits Russian optical fibre maker JSC Optical Fiber Systems
An overnight drone strike into Saturday targeted two plants in Saransk that supply optical fibre, gyroscopes and optronics to the Russian defence industry. One of them is the only optical fibre manufacturer of its kind in Russia.
Reconnaissance drones for Spain: army orders Vector systems from Quantum Systems
Around 27 million euros for 91 Vector systems: Spain has chosen reconnaissance drones from Quantum Systems. Telefónica narrowly lost out; the framework contract is still pending and could grow to around 150 systems.
Unmanned systems instead of soldiers: Ukraine bets on AI-supported autonomous warfare
Two million drones in 2024, five million planned for 2025: a CSIS report shows where Ukraine already uses AI and unmanned systems – from reconnaissance and acoustics to navigation without GPS.
Counter-UAS and drone operations: Royal Netherlands Army sets up Task Force Drones
With the new Task Force Drones, Brigadier General Joland Dubbeldam is to deliver an integrated concept by the end of the year that brings counter-UAS and the army's own UAS into the units. The model is the experience from Ukraine.