Major UAE defense player unveils new drone for cargo, combat

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Local conglomerate EDGE has unveiled 11 new unmanned and autonomous systems for intelligence and strike missions at the IDEX global arms show here.

The Emirates Defense Group, now comprising 20 different technology and security entities, launched a raft of ‘Made in UAE’ products, including a number of cargo delivery aircraft, on the opening day of the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2023) on Monday.

For example, there are rotary-wing “air trucks” designed for strategic logistical support, such as resupplying troops in remote areas, providing medical evacuation and reconnaissance. It has a payload of 500kg, a maximum range of 360km and a cruising speed of 120km/h.

Over the past decade, many militaries, especially those in the West, have largely taken a wait-and-see approach to logistical drones, rushing instead to acquire unmanned combat and reconnaissance aircraft. But the allure remains strong for new resupply and combat evacuation methods that could keep human pilots out of danger. Now, a new batch of systems claims to be ready for deployment.

Last year, the U.S. Army experimented with the technology by developing a fully autonomous Black Hawk helicopter. In the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine, some manufacturers and organizations have sent cargo drones to support the Ukrainian military. The UK sent heavy-duty Malloy T150 quadcopters to the list, and US manufacturer Aquiline is also said to have provided 40 Spartacus Hurricane search and rescue drones.

Another interesting design is the QX6-50, another rotary wing drone.latest addition marginal The QX series, the system is capable of carrying a 50kg payload up to 200km. The company also demonstrated a new drone, the Jeniah, with a maximum ammunition payload of 480 kg and a top speed of 1,000 km/h.

EDGE recently acquired a majority stake in the Estonia-based company Milrem Robot, which is the largest foreign investment in Tallinn’s defense industry. Following the deal, the Emirates Group showcased two of its cutting-edge UGVs at the event: the THeMIS Combat for high-precision direct fire support for mobile forces and the THeMIS Observe for tactical reconnaissance operations.

Another start-up that EDGE has shown interest in is Turin, Italy-based Sortie Cargo. The startup designs and manufactures fast cargo drones in Italy. The company’s co-founder, Umit Yelken, told Defense News that they have been approached by the UAE group about a possible purchase of the RUAV724. The final prototype of the long-range cargo plane is being finalized and is expected to make its first test flight this year.

What makes Sortie Cargo technology unique is the combination of rocket motors and turbojet engines into their system, Umit said. Regarding the weapons on display at EDGE, he said, “Many of their drones use only turbojet engines, which results in higher fuel consumption, which reduces payload capacity. Several also require a runway to take off or land.” In contrast, the RUAV 724 can be deployed from anywhere, reaches the same top speed of 1,000 kilometers per hour as the Jeniah, but has a range of more than 2,500 kilometers.

In terms of offshore platforms, the Emirates Group has partnered with Abu Dhabi Shipyards to develop the 170-M Detector Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and underwater mine detection. The diesel-powered USV can be configured for manned or unmanned operation while operating in electric propulsion mode at speeds of up to 40 knots for four hours.