Airbus Secures Strategic Military Drone Contract for European Defense
Airbus Helicopters, through its subsidiary Survey Copter, has been selected by the European Defence Agency (EDA) for the Multi Mission Unmanned Aircraft System (M2UAS) project. This strategic contract involves the study and development of a hybrid unmanned aircraft capable of performing various operational missions.
Selection for the M2UAS Project
Airbus Helicopters has been chosen by the European Defence Agency for the M2UAS project. This contract is part of a series of projects spanning a total duration of 48 months, with a budget of approximately 1.1 million euros. It focuses on the study and development of a hybrid unmanned aircraft that can perform various operational missions depending on its configuration and payloads. The first phase of the project, lasting 12 months, is dedicated to analyzing current and future military operational needs, assessing technological challenges, and identifying associated development directions.
Enhancing Capabilities with Capa-X
The M2UAS project builds on the existing Capa-X unmanned aerial system and aims to enhance and expand the capabilities of the platform. The Capa-X is a 120 kg multi-mission drone with a data link range of 100 km, an endurance of 10 hours, and a payload capacity of up to 20 kg. Its modular design allows for easy adaptation to missions, configurations, and regulatory constraints of public decision-makers, armed forces, as well as civil and parapublic operators.
Contributions to New Drone Architectures
The M2UAS project will contribute to defining new drone architectures capable of performing a wide range of missions, including surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare, deployment of aerial effects, and automated in-flight refueling. These efforts aim to strengthen European capabilities in the field of unmanned aerial systems.
