By Rob Russell Airbus Helicopters recently held an event at the Denel Overberg Test Range to show off their multifunctional flexrotor and discuss their various UASs and what they can do and where Airbus is taking drone development. The event was hosted by Nam-Binh Hoang, MD of Airbus South Africa. After welcoming everyone, he gave a brief overview of what Airbus does in Southern Africa, the services and support it provides in the Commercial, Helicopter, Defence and Space fiel

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

Eve Air Mobility has reached another important milestone in the development of its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft after successfully completing the hover and low-speed phase of its flight test campaign. The achievement marks a significant step forward as the company prepares to enter the critical transition flight testing stage later this year. Backed by aerospace giant Embraer, Eve announced that its full-scale engineering prototype has now completed

A major milestone in modern military aviation has been achieved with the successful first flight of what is being described as the world’s first unmanned Airborne Early Warning (AEW) solution. Swedish defence giant Saab and American unmanned aircraft specialist General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. have successfully integrated Saab’s LoyalEye airborne radar system onto the MQ-9B unmanned aircraft platform. The landmark flight took place on 19 May at GA-ASI’s Desert Horiz

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

A new collaboration between Sikorsky and Robinson Helicopter Company has produced a striking development in the world of autonomous rotorcraft. The two manufacturers recently unveiled the R66 TURBINETRUCK, an unmanned cargo helicopter that pairs Robinson’s proven light turbine platform with Sikorsky’s advanced MATRIX™ autonomy system, creating a versatile aircraft designed for both commercial and military logistics missions. Revealed in Atlanta on 10 March 2026, the new aircr

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

The French Navy is set to become the world’s first operational user of Airbus Helicopters’ Aliaca vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aerial system, marking a significant step forward in naval drone operations. The French Directorate General of Armament (DGA) has placed an order for a new VTOL-configured version of the SMDM (Système de Mini-Drones de la Marine) through Airbus Helicopters’ subsidiary, Survey Copter, further strengthening France’s position at the fore

Daher has taken a significant step into the defence aerospace sector with the successful inaugural flight of its EyePulse Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone demonstration. Conducted at their Tarbes facility in southern France, this test flight marks a major achievement for Daher and underscores France's initiative to rapidly advance its drone capabilities. The flight was conducted under a call from the French Defence Procurement Agency (Direction Générale de l’Armeme