The new generation of heavy-lift drones is expected to revolutionise war
After acquiring a rapidly-growing British manufacturer, BAE Systems has developed a new generation heavy-lift military robots capable of evacuating wounded troops and delivering supplies.
The FTSE100 defence giant on Friday completed the acquisition of Malloy Aeronautics, for an undisclosed amount.
Malloy, a Berkshire resident, is the man behind the drones the UK government bought and provided to Ukraine during its war with Russia.
The acquisition will strengthen BAE’s position in the rapidly expanding market for unmanned air vehicles, as the technology is seen to have huge potential both for military and civil applications.
BAE and Malloy are working together to develop an electric-powered T650 drone that can carry payloads up to 300 kg – roughly the weight of a piano.
The T-650 can be fitted with a variety of attachments, and it will have many different uses. One of these is a “pod”, which could be used in the future to transport injured soldiers safely away from front-line battle.
Malloy’s drones were used to deliver supplies in Ukraine, and could be used to launch missiles in the future.
Neil Appleton is a former BAE executive and now the new chief executive at Malloy. He said that the quadcopter drones with heavy lift had the potential to be “the Land Rover of air” due to their versatility.
He said: “The price per hour of flying is much less than that of a conventional helicopter and there’s no risk to your life.”
This type of product is the future workhorse for militaries around the world. “They can save their expensive assets for more complex missions.”
According to BAE the vast majority of helicopters are currently moving payloads that weigh 300kg or less. This means militaries could instead use drones.
When fully charged, the T-650 can travel 30 km on a single charge. The rechargeable batteries can be quickly swapped for a new set.
The drones are also cheaper to run than helicopters. For example, the US Navy Seahawk helicopter, which costs $37m per hour, is reported to cost $14,500.
Mr Appleton stated that the T-650 would likely cost tens or thousands of pounds, which is “about the same price as a mid-range vehicle”.
Kyiv has heavily relied on drones in its war against Russia. The cheap cost and easy deployment of drones has had a devastating effect on larger and more expensive assets like Russian tanks.
Malloy’s unmanned aircraft may also be used in the future to deliver weapons, such as missiles. A drone from the company was seen successfully deploying a Sting Ray Torpedo in a Nato training exercise last year.
Oriol Badia is the chief operating officer at Malloy. He said that civilian applications of this technology include using them as air ambulances or to carry repair equipment for wind turbines and oil platforms, among other tasks.
Malloy has its headquarters in Maidenhead, and the drones are manufactured there. Mr Appleton stated that there are plans to expand production lines, as BAE seeks a larger group of Nato nations to purchase the drones.
Mr Badia said: “This new stage in our journey will allow us the strength and vision of a younger company with the reach, support and experience of an experienced company. This will give our customers the capability to scale up their demands and enable us to deliver innovative products such as the T-650 with pace.”
The 80-person company will be absorbed into FalconWorks, BAE’s research and development division.