The British Army is spending 16 million on 1,000 small drones in a bid to boost battlefield operations

Date:
Tue, 22 Sep 2026 19:15:00 +0000

Description:
New British-built spy drones will be deployed by the British Army to conduct surveillance and training, including a small 250 gram quadcopter.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Over 1,000 small drones are being added to the British Armys modernized battlefield surveillance kit 245 FOXE-NATO drones from Evolve Dynamics in Hampshire, England, have been
ordered by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), with a further 670 built by California-based Skydio A further 400 million investment in long-endurance surveillance drones has also been announced The British government has announced spending on over 1,000 small surveillance drones for the British Army, as part of its Defence Investment Plan. This includes compact, lightweight devices assembled at UK-based Evolve Dynamics, designed for fast deployment.

Announcing the spending plans and investment, the UKs Ministry of Defence has emphasized the use of what it terms Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) drones as a step forward in detecting emerging threats. In addition, a huge 400 million is being invested in replacing the
Watchkeeper Uncrewed Air System. This unmanned drone surveillance program has been in operation since 2014, and is being retired in 2027. Latest Videos
From TechRadar Watch full video here: UK companies handling delivery In
total, 1,025 smaller drones are being procured in the 16 million deal, which involves deals with a trio of UK-based companies. Among these small and
medium sized companies is Evolve Dynamics, a Hampshire-based company which is supplying the army with 245 FOXE-NATO drones. Weighing under 250g and
equipped with infrared cameras for nighttime use, the FOXE-NATO drones are also designed for quick deployment from a backpack or pouch.

Meanwhile, Marlborough Communications Limited, in Surrey, England, is supplying the MoD with 670 Skydio X10 INTL drones, also capable of a fast deployment and speeds of up to 45 mpg. Skydio is a California-based company. You may like US Army backs giant surveillance balloons with $447m contract despite growing threat from drones US Army is hunting for surface-to-air missiles able to take down small drones UK Navy forced to strip out internet connectivity from drones after finding it sent 'heartbeat communications' to China

Finally, Exeter-based Brigantes Consulting and and Harmattan AI are
delivering 110 SONORA drones. These are training devices, to prepare soldiers for using field-ready drones.

Our soldiers deserve the best technology, and thats what were delivering,
said Luke Pollard MP, the UKs Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry.
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From small drones giving troops eyes on the enemy, to the AR5 offering commanders better intelligence over the battlefield, were transforming the Armys ability to see, understand and act first.

This is defence procurement that backs British industry, creates skilled jobs and keeps our Armed Forces ahead of our adversaries. Long-endurance Joining the smaller surveillance and training drone expenditure, the MoD has
announced a 400 million spend on a fleet of Tekever AR5 surveillance drones (initially six, rising to 24 by 2029), designed and built for endurance.
These craft have already seen action in Ukraine.

We are proud to be delivering the AR5 to the British Army at this critical moment for national security, said Tekever UKs Managing Director Karl Brew. This investment allows us to grow our UK operations, create hundreds of skilled jobs and bring cutting-edge surveillance technology, proven on the battlefield in Ukraine, into service with British forces.

These units, capable of carrying up to 50kg of cameras and sensors, are being assembled at Swindon, UK, and the contract is expected to create 1,000 jobs
at sites around the UK, including sites in the South West, Edinburgh, and London. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/the-british-army-is-spending-gbp16-million-on-1- 000-small-drones-in-a-bid-to-boost-battlefield-operations


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