Drone manufacturer Height Technologies: tethered from a box to a permanent eye in the sky

The hatch opens, the drone takes off. On its tether it reaches an altitude of up to 100 metres and, as a permanent eye in the sky, can stay airborne almost indefinitely. Dutch drone manufacturer Height Technologies also offers classic reconnaissance drones, and with the EZ product family it has additionally developed a fully autonomous aerial surveillance system.

The drone sits in an inconspicuous box whose hatches open when required. The box is mounted on a mothership – this can be a truck, a hardened combat vehicle or even an autonomous quad that patrols an area along set waypoints. This is no problem for the drone: it follows its box at a speed of up to 55 kilometres. It copes with wind speeds of up to 25 knots.

Quiet rotors for stealth missions

Height Technologies was founded in 2016. The company initially built drones for civilian inspections, but then recognised the potential its products hold for government agencies. “Our focus is on stealth missions, long flight endurance and powerful cameras on board,” says Head of Development Teun de Visser at the company's stand at Enforce Tac 2025. The term “stealth” is explained by the design: specially shaped rotors, together with the motors, ensure particularly quiet flight. De Visser adds: “Up to a distance of 80 metres, our drones are barely audible.”

What the drone manufacturer builds beyond the EZ family

Besides the EZ product family, the range comprises three models: MI-1, MI-2 and MI-3. The lightest is the MI-1, which reaches 120 metres flight altitude and 40 minutes of flight time. The MI-3 is considered the workhorse, carrying up to four kilograms of payload. This allows radio relays or mesh networks, for example, to be kept airborne for almost one and a half hours.

In April of this year, another model follows with the MI-4. It is intended as a heavy version of the MI-3: with six rotors (Hectocopter), it carries five kilograms of payload and stays airborne for 120 minutes. The drones are manufactured in the Netherlands.