German Army gets its first heavy-lift cargo drone

The German Army has received its first heavy-lift cargo drone, with the 131st Supply Battalion in Bad Frankenhausen, Thuringia, taking delivery of an uncrewed aircraft from Portuguese manufacturer TEKEVER to test how drones can haul equipment and supplies to troops in the field.

The Bundeswehr in Thuringia announced the handover on Oct. 13, describing it as the first heavy-lift drone in the German Army and the start of a new chapter for uncrewed cargo transport in its logistics units.

Unlike the small quadcopters now common on the battlefield, the new aircraft is designed to carry heavy loads, and the Bundeswehr said it is meant to move materiel and supplies quickly to where they are needed, including places where roads are difficult or only partly accessible. That is a practical problem for supply units, since trucks heading to forward positions are exposed to drones, artillery and mines, and an aircraft that can deliver ammunition, spare parts or medical supplies without a driver could take some of that risk off the road.

The battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Sojka, will now run further testing and training to work out what jobs the drone can take on and how autonomous cargo flights could fit into the German Army’s logistics system. TEKEVER said the evaluation will help the Bundeswehr decide what role autonomous transport should play in supporting future operations, and the company described the delivery as an important step in Germany’s assessment of autonomous military logistics.

The handover coincides with TEKEVER setting up a German subsidiary headquartered in Munich, which will serve as the company’s regional hub for engineering, customer support and industrial cooperation in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Founded in Portugal, TEKEVER has grown into one of Europe’s best-known military drone makers on the back of its AR5 surveillance aircraft, which Ukraine’s armed forces have flown against Russia and which the British Army selected in July to replace its Watchkeeper fleet, as we reported.

The company moved into the heavy-lift market this summer when it unveiled its AR6 family at the Farnborough International Airshow in July. TEKEVER says the AR6 can carry about 200 kg (440 pounds) of cargo over 500 km (310 miles) and that its military version can operate without satellite navigation, with production due to start by the end of 2026 at the company’s manufacturing site in Swindon, England.

Germany is one of several NATO armies now testing cargo drones for frontline resupply, a role shaped by the war in Ukraine, where both sides have used uncrewed aircraft and ground robots to move supplies to troops in areas too dangerous for vehicles. The Bad Frankenhausen battalion is the first German Army unit to receive a heavy-lift system, and the results of its trials will help decide whether more units follow.