New VTOL Micro-UAS for British Army

Elbit Systems UK has been awarded a contract to provide Magni-X micro-Uncrewed Aerial Systems (micro-UAS) to the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). The contract has been awarded by Defence Equipment & Support’s Future Capability Group as part of the British Army’s Human Machine Teaming framework, and the unmanned aircraft will be delivered to specialist army units for service by mid-2023.

Magni-X is a proven military-grade Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) micro-UAS from a family of quadcopter platforms already in service with armed forces across the globe. As part of the contract, Elbit Systems UK will deliver the service-ready Magni-X systems to the British Army with a contracted option to deliver many further systems. The Magni-X that will be delivered will carry a variety of payloads, including Electro-Optical and Infrared gimballed cameras, giving the users extensive long-range reconnaissance capabilities.

The Magni-X weighs 2kg and is packable and easily portable. It is capable of autonomous flight and can be integrated with Elbit’s Legion-X System to give it swarming capabilities, acting as a force multiplier for soldiers on the ground. Featuring a low radar and acoustic signature, the system is designed to enhance short-range reconnaissance and support combat and intelligence operations for up to 60 minutes at a time.

Martin Fausset, CEO of Elbit Systems UK, commented: “This contract represents another milestone in Elbit Systems UK’s delivery of advanced UAS systems to the UK Armed Forces. The unique capabilities of these systems demonstrates our commitment to being at the forefront of technological advances to support the integration of Robotics and Autonomous Systems to enhance the British Army’s capabilities.”

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