Dronamics, HENSOLDT Demo Unmanned Early Warning
Dronamics and HENSOLDT flew a combined unmanned airborne early warning and ISTAR platform in Bulgaria, which they describe as Europe's first.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Robotics
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Dronamics and HENSOLDT demonstrated Europe's first unmanned airborne early warning system combined with ISTAR capability, flying HENSOLDT's MissionGrid sensor suite on a Dronamics Black Swan UAV in Bulgaria. The demonstration was staged in front of prospective end users and armed forces representatives.
Why it matters
The partnership aims to let countries continuously detect and target multi-domain threats from the air while keeping European skies under European control. The companies say the unmanned solution is expected to cost significantly less than legacy manned AEW platforms.
The Black Swan is a NATO Class III UAS carrying MissionGrid, which fuses HENSOLDT's PrecISR radar and Argos electro-optical sensor data under MissMarvin mission management software. MDOcore software provided secure, real-time, cross-domain networking during the flight.
The players
Dronamics
Dronamics is a Sofia-headquartered unmanned aircraft company whose Black Swan UAV served as the airborne platform for the demonstration.
HENSOLDT
HENSOLDT is a German defence electronics company headquartered in Taufkirchen that supplied the MissionGrid, PrecISR radar and Argos sensors used in the demonstration.
The details
HENSOLDT's MissionGrid sensor suite was integrated and test-flown on a full-scale Dronamics Black Swan UAV before a demonstration in Bulgaria. The flight covered air-to-ground detection and tracking of ground targets and air-to-maritime detection of vessels on the Danube River.
Timeline
Q1 2026: Partnership announced.
Q3 2026: Solution integrated on the Black Swan.
Q4 2026: Solution demonstrated in flight in Bulgaria.
Tech Race
The Dronamics–HENSOLDT system is positioned as a lower-cost unmanned alternative to manned airborne early warning aircraft, which have long been the standard for wide-area surveillance. Its ITAR-free design is pitched at European buyers seeking to reduce reliance on US-controlled defence technology.
The system is designed to give countries a continuous air-based view of ground and maritime threats without manned aircraft. Its ITAR-free status could affect which governments are able to procure it.
The takeaway
Lower-cost unmanned platforms may increasingly complement or replace manned surveillance aircraft in European defence planning. Watch for operational deployment announcements as the partnership moves forward.
What happens next
Dronamics and HENSOLDT intend to continue their collaboration with a view towards operational deployment, and the solution is relevant to four recently adopted European Defence Projects of Common Interest.
Further reading
Explore more on Robotics developments shaping unmanned defence platforms.
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