Mini drones tested under Project TIQUILA for UK Armed Forces
NewsAugust 09, 2024
CORNWALL, United Kingdom. Portable mini drones designed to enhance UK Armed Forces capabilities underwent trials at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Predannack, the UK Ministry of Defence announced in a statement. The trials, part of Project TIQUILA, tested Lockheed Martin's Stalker VXE30 mini drone over 20 hours in challenging weather conditions to assess its operational limits.
Project TIQUILA aims to rapidly deliver small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) to UK Forces, providing opportunities for ongoing capability development over a 10-year period. The current phase includes evaluating both the Stalker VXE30 and Indago 4 drones for their Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities, according to the statement.
The testing was conducted by the Joint UAS Test and Evaluation Flight (JUAS TEF), part of 744 Naval Air Squadron, Air & Space Warfare Centre, and Defence Equipment and Support’s TIQUILA Delivery Team, the statement reads.
Lockheed Martin UK secured a contract in December 2022 to deliver over 250 mini drones to the Armed Forces, with the drones expected to be operational by the end of 2024, the statement adds.
