Berlin, Germany. At this year’s International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) in Berlin, Airbus is presenting one of Europe’s most comprehensive and versatile Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) portfolios, demonstrating its leadership in autonomous flight that meets the demands of defence customers. Highlighting the line-up are two major innovations: the newly introduced U145 – the autonomous, uncrewed version of the tried-and-tested H145 helicopter – and the U760 Ravenstorm combat drone, designed to operate alongside fighter pilots in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, and electronic warfare.
“Whatever uncrewed or ‘drone’ capability our customers need to strengthen sovereign air power, we deliver,” said Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. “Our portfolio ranges from rapid-response drone interceptors and various tactical drones, autonomous cargo helicopters to uncrewed fighter aircraft UCCAs (Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft) operating co-operatively with crewed fighter jets. On the other side of the spectrum we have the Eurodrone, our very high payload and very long endurance ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) platform. Airbus provides the entire envelope of uncrewed capabilities required for modern multi-domain warfare. All our systems come with open architectures and a European mission system compatible with the wider European and international defence ecosystem.”
The UAS showcased on Airbus’ static display at ILA include:
Airbus U145: the uncrewed H145 version
The U145 is being developed as a mission-agnostic solution for civil and military applications – primarily high-volume cargo supply – but its modular design supports expansion into roles such as disaster management, firefighting, armed scouting, surveillance, and drone mothership functionality for air-launched effects.
Airbus U760 Ravenstorm and U740 Valkyrie: the UCCA family
Airbus builds on two decades of UCCA experience, starting with the Barracuda demonstrator that flew for the first time 20 years ago. It marked a pioneering step in uncrewed collaborative combat, introducing design principles that have since shaped this class of capability. Airbus is pursuing a phased capability build-up to meet urgent operational UCCA needs.
- U760 Ravenstorm: Representing the next evolution in Airbus’ UCCA roadmap towards a scalable family of uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft, the 1:1 model on display features a wingspan of 10 m and a length of 13 m. Optimised for multi-domain missions, the UCCA’s capabilities include air-to-surface strikes using precision-guided munitions, air-to-air defence with long and medium-range anti-aircraft missiles, and electronic warfare for suppressing enemy air defences and offensive counter-air using non-kinetic jamming. Ravenstorm will be available in the early 2030s.
- U740 Valkyrie: Developed in cooperation with Kratos and equipped with Airbus’ proprietary Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) Mission System, the Valkyrie aims to deliver an operational, sovereign UCCA to the German Air Force by 2029. This foundational step will enable operational experimentation, initial air-to-ground capabilities, and the teaming of the Valkyrie with the Eurofighter. Learn more here.
Airbus U010 Aliaca, U030 Flexrotor and U050 Capa-X: the light tactical drones
Airbus offers a diverse portfolio of tactical drones designed to provide customers with cutting-edge capabilities for surveillance, intelligence, and operational flexibility.
- The Aliaca is a 25 kg UAS which can carry up to 3 kg of equipment for six hours, making it a robust imagery tool that enhances reconnaissance and decision-making.
- The Flexrotor is a 25 kg UAS that can carry up to 8 kg of equipment for 12 to 14 hours making it ideal for long-endurance missions.
- For ultimate flexibility, the Capa-X is a 120 kg UAS that can carry up to 20 kg of equipment, making it a highly adaptable system that can be modified for various missions and terrains.
Airbus U680 Bird of Prey: the uncrewed drone interceptor
Designed to counter massed aerial threats, the Bird of Prey engages and neutralises multiple mid-sized, one-way attack drones per mission. Following its successful first demonstration flight in March 2026 – just nine months after project kick-off – Bird of Prey fundamentally rebalances the cost of air defence. Airbus plans to conduct additional flights throughout 2026 to further operationalise the system. Bird of Prey will be available to all armed forces that need a solution for national defence.
The Intelligence Layer: MARS
Ravenstorm, Valkyrie and Bird of Prey are powered by MARS, Airbus’ sovereign mission system. MARS integrates an AI-supported software core to enable platform autonomy and is scalable across the entire portfolio. Airbus also intends to install MARS on the U950 Eurodrone.
Airbus U950 Eurodrone: Europe’s first strategic Large Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)
As Europe’s premier Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) platform, the Eurodrone is designed to provide independent, strategic ISTAR capabilities, early warning, and anti-submarine warfare. The program is progressing steadily toward its scheduled first flight in 2029.
