Australian aerospace start-up Drone Forge and Airbus Helicopters have formalized a deal to acquire six Flexrotor uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), totaling 17 aircraft. This represents the largest single order of Flexrotor systems so far.
The operational-ready Flexrotor systems will be tailored for various missions in the Asia-Pacific region, which include littoral surveillance, high-altitude inland operations, infrastructure monitoring, and maritime environmental assessments.
Each UAS will be equipped with a heavy fuel engine optimized for maritime use, enhancing safety and fuel availability and ensuring compatibility with naval assets. They will also feature Starlink connectivity for beyond-line-of-sight operations and real-time situational awareness. Furthermore, the Flexrotor is equipped with PT-6 imaging technology, offering stabilized, high-resolution intelligence and surveillance capabilities for effective wide-area maritime monitoring.
“We are fully convinced that the Flexrotor, built on a strong engineering heritage, will allow us to tap into new markets with a proven solution where real-time intelligence, mission flexibility and reliability matter,” stated Thomas Symes, Chief Executive Officer of Drone Forge. “We look forward to integrating and commercializing the Flexrotor systems in the region.”
Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President of Global Business at Airbus Helicopters, commented: “The landmark order opens a new chapter in our partnership with Drone Forge, reinforcing our shared commitment to delivering cutting-edge crewed-uncrewed teaming capabilities to Asia-Pacific operators. With strong confidence in the Flexrotor’s efficiency and reliability, this force multiplier will drive operational excellence in defense and security applications.”
This agreement follows a recently signed Letter of Intent (LOI) where Airbus and Drone Forge are collaborating on the operational integration of the Flexrotor UAS.
The Flexrotor exemplifies Airbus’ latest offering within its UAS portfolio. This modern vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft is designed to perform ISTAR missions for over 12-14 hours in a standard operational setup, integrating various payloads such as electro-optical systems and advanced sensors catered to clients’ specific mission requirements. It can autonomously launch and recover from land or sea using only a minimal area of 3.7m x 3.7m (12ft x 12ft), making it ideal for expeditionary missions that require a small footprint.
