Airbus has undertaken a major restructuring in the field of tactical unmanned aerial systems (UAS), consolidating its small and medium-sized systems—such as Survey Copter, Aliaca, and Capa-X—under a single, comprehensive portfolio managed by the Airbus Helicopters division. This strategic move aims to offer a more integrated market approach, focusing on defence and security customers.
“Airbus Establishes a Centre of Excellence in the Tactical Drone Segment”
Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even commented on the development:
“By integrating Aliaca and Capa-X into our UAS portfolio, we are creating a coherent product family and strengthening Airbus’s market leadership in the tactical drone segment,” he said.
“This step enables us to establish a centre of excellence that fosters synergy among teams developing and integrating complementary systems. Additionally, with our HTeaming solution, we are accelerating operational cooperation between drones and helicopters.”
A New Era in UAS: Flexibility, Endurance, and Intelligent Mission Capabilities
The new portfolio unites small, medium, and large-scale tactical unmanned aerial systems under one roof.
All systems provide high-resolution sensing and long-endurance capabilities for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. They are also designed to support parapublic operations such as firefighting, coast guard, and law enforcement tasks.
Technological Features and System Capabilities
- Aliaca: Weighs 25 kg, offers a 6-hour flight time, and carries up to 3 kg of payload. It provides high imaging stability for reconnaissance missions.
- Flexrotor: Has a flight endurance of 10–12 hours, can carry up to 8 kg, and is suitable for long-range missions.
- Capa-X: With a take-off weight of 120 kg and a payload capacity of up to 20 kg, it is designed for multi-mission adaptability.
- VSR700: Belonging to the 750 kg class, this stealth-designed system is optimised for maritime operations and combat roles.
This diversity provides customers with operational flexibility for land, sea, and multi-domain missions.
- Survey Copter: 30 Years of Experience in Light Tactical Drones
Based in Pierrelatte, France, Survey Copter has been a subsidiary of Airbus since 1996, specialising in the design, production, and maintenance of light tactical drone systems.
Since its founding, the company has delivered over 300 UAS platforms and has gained international credibility across both civil and military domains.
Airbus’s Signature in European Defence
In addition to this consolidated portfolio, Airbus continues to enhance Europe’s defence capabilities and strategic autonomy with advanced systems such as Eurodrone, SIRTAP, and Zephyr HAPS.
These platforms support intercontinental surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting operations through high-altitude, long-endurance, and multi-mission capabilities.
Manned–Unmanned Teaming: The Flight Concept of the Future
Airbus is also developing manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) solutions that allow aircraft and helicopter crews to directly control drones during missions.
This technology introduces a new era in air power doctrine, offering beyond-line-of-sight sensor range, real-time data sharing, and enhanced mission efficiency.
Airbus Helicopters: A New Chapter in Integrated Unmanned Systems
Through its newly established organisational structure in the tactical drone domain, Airbus Helicopters is both diversifying its air power solutions and reinforcing Europe’s technological leadership in integrated defence systems.
The company aims to deliver modular, resilient, and sustainable UAS solutions compatible with the multi-domain operations of the future.
