Army to receive new 'spy' drones in deals worth up to £416m, MOD announces

British soldiers will get new intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) drones through two deals worth up to £416m, the Ministry of Defence has announced at this year's Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) event.

The drones will help soldiers get a better view of the battlefield and greater protection from emerging threats in conflict. 

They range from small, easy-to-use drones that give soldiers real-time awareness on the frontline, to larger aircraft that will mean commanders will obtain detailed intelligence over longer distances and periods of time.

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"Our soldiers deserve the best technology, and that's what we're delivering," Luke Pollard, Defence Readiness and Industry Minister, said. 

"From small drones giving troops eyes on the enemy, to the AR5 offering commanders better intelligence over the battlefield, we're transforming the Army's ability to see, understand, and act first."

Tekever, an IT, aerospace, defence and security company, has been awarded a contract worth up to £400m to bring their AR5 into service. 

The AR5, which has already been used in Ukraine against Russia, is a long-endurance surveillance drone that can hold up to 50kg of cameras and sensors, replacing the ageing Watchkeeper system, which has been deployed since 2014. 

The Tekever AR5 contract starts with an initial order of a half dozen drones, increasing to up to 24 within the next three years. 

Under the other contract, more than 1,025 small drones will be delivered as part of a £16m deal with three UK-based small and medium-sized companies, with deliveries nearing completion. 

The small drones being delivered include: 

• 245 Foxe-Nato drones from Evolve Dynamics which weigh less than 250g and include infrared cameras. 
• Marlborough Communications Limited's 670 Skydio X10 Intl drones, which can be ready to fly in less than a minute and hit speeds of up to 45mph
• 110 Sonora drones from a partnership between Brigantes Consulting and Harmattan AI. These drones are designed to help train soldiers before they use similar drones in real operations. 

"We are proud to be delivering the AR5 to the British Army at this critical moment for national security," Tekever UK's managing director, Karl Brew, said. 

The UK National Armaments Director Group completed the small drone deal. 

The deals form part of Project Rapstone, the Army's programme to bring new technology to soldiers faster, with a goal of doubling the Army's fighting power by 2027 and getting new equipment from industry to the frontline in two years. 

The Defence Vehicle Dynamics event is the UK's biennial land warfare exhibition.