Two of the aerospace industry's fastest-growing innovators have joined forces to unveil an ambitious new vertical lift platform that aims to bridge the gap between commercial aviation and modern military operations. At the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow, Anduril Industries and Archer Aviation introduced a jointly developed autonomous hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft platform designed to support a wide range of civilian and defence missions

As wildfires become larger, more destructive and increasingly difficult to control, the aviation industry is searching for innovative ways to support traditional aerial firefighting operations. One of the most intriguing concepts currently under development is the FLYOX I, a large amphibious uncrewed aircraft developed by Spanish company Singular Aircraft. Unlike the small drones that have become commonplace for aerial photography and infrastructure inspections, the FLYOX I o

At the 2026 ILA Berlin Air Show, Boeing announced the expansion of its German industry team supporting the MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft programme. The move strengthens Boeing’s efforts to tailor the Australian-developed autonomous aircraft to the requirements of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). Joining the programme are German defence and technology companies Diehl Defence and Rohde & Schwarz, which will work alongside strategic partner Rheinmetall. Rheinmet

Airbus Helicopters has unveiled the U145, an autonomous, uncrewed version of its widely used H145 twin-engine helicopter, marking a significant step forward in the evolution of rotary-wing aviation. Introduced at the ILA Berlin Air Show, the U145 combines the proven performance and payload capacity of the H145 with advanced autonomous flight technologies. Airbus plans to conduct the aircraft's maiden flight, initially with a safety pilot on board, before the end of 2026, with

Boeing's MQ-28 autonomous combat aircraft has successfully completed its first international flight operations, conducting a series of test missions in the United States airspace and marking a significant milestone in the programme's development. The Australia-developed aircraft recently conducted three operational test flights over the Pacific Ocean from the Point Mugu Sea Range at the U.S. Naval Base Ventura County, California. The deployment marks the first time the MQ-28

By the end of this decade, uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) will support crewed fighter jets on their missions. Wondering what a UCCA is? Let's try to answer the most commonly asked questions. Imagine you are the pilot of a Eurofighter or an F-35, tasked with taking out an air defence position in a heavily protected zone. Thanks to seamless connectivity, you are not tackling this mission alone – far from it. All the information you need is consolidated in your co

The first operational MQ-25A Stingray has successfully completed its maiden flight, marking a significant step forward in the United States Navy’s ongoing efforts to integrate unmanned systems into carrier-based operations. Conducted on April 25 over southern Illinois, the two-hour sortie represents more than just a routine test milestone; it signals the transition of the Stingray programme from development into a more advanced operational phase, bringing the Navy closer to d

Bell Textron has been selected by Near Earth Autonomy to provide a modified Bell 505 airframe for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) Increment 2 programme. The initiative aims to develop a new generation of uncrewed aerial logistics platforms capable of supporting frontline operations in contested environments. Announced on April 30, 2026, the partnership will focus on prototyping a configuration to operate without a pilot while

Sikorsky has completed the integration and flight testing of its MATRIX™ autonomy suite on the U.S. Army’s experimental UH-60MX Black Hawk helicopter, with the aircraft delivered to the service on 23 March 2026 at Fort Eustis, Virginia. The programme forms part of ongoing efforts by the Army to evaluate autonomy-enabled capabilities and advance the development of optionally piloted aircraft. The UH-60MX is owned and operated by the U.S. Army and will serve as a test platform

Airbus is accelerating its efforts to deliver a new generation of collaborative combat aircraft to the German Air Force, with two uncrewed aircraft now being prepared for flight testing in Germany. The aircraft, based on the Kratos Valkyrie platform, are currently undergoing integration with a European-developed mission system and are expected to make their first flights later in 2026. The work is taking place at Airbus’ facility in Manching, near Munich, where engineers are