Tekever Unveils Upcoming ARX Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

TEKEVER, the European market leader in unmanned aerial systems (UAS), presented the forthcoming ARX, a cutting-edge UAS capable of deploying and coordinating a swarm of smaller drones from a primary mother drone for the first time. With onboard AI/ML capabilities and a fully modular payload configuration supporting sensors and deployable cargo, the new UAS, which is set to have its commercial debut in 2025, will significantly enhance surveillance and life-saving capabilities for both civilian and military organizations. With an MTOW of 600Kg, TEKEVER ARX promises to revolutionize its class, by offering a combination of long-range endurance, advanced onboard AI/ML capabilities, SATCOM and mesh connectivity, and readiness for GNSS-denied environments. With its fully modular payload configuration including options for heavy lift, sensors, or cargo, it also offers a wide array of sensor choices (EO/IR, MS/HS, LIDAR, AIS, ADSB, SAR SIGINT/COMINT/ELINT, and others). This extensive list of features integrated within a compact platform with an extremely reduced logistics footprint is set to transform the landscape of the long-range marketplace.

TEKEVER’s CEO, Ricardo Mendes, said, “We’re thrilled to announce the ARX, which is one of the world’s most advanced drones in its class. It marks a significant step forward for TEKEVER. It is our first drone to include swarm capabilities, which enables it to carry out complex missions, revolutionizing surveillance, and search & rescue operations in both the civilian and military worlds. At TEKEVER, we are constantly innovating to develop the most advanced intelligence solutions so we can continue to be the UAS partner of choice for organizations undertaking critical environmental, commercial, and geopolitical matters.”

Performing wide area surveillance missions often raises significant challenges, as Military and Security forces need to choose between systems that can project sensors to significant distances during long periods, and systems that can get closer and observe situations with additional detail. The ARX will deliver the best of both worlds, enabling long range and long endurance missions, and combining powerful onboard sensors with the ability to carry and release a swarm of smaller drones for detailed observation and inspection from much shorter distances. This ground breaking capability will unlock new possibilities when supporting far-reaching surveillance missions both at sea and over land, identifying threats, fighting wildfires, detecting oil spills, or inspecting suspicious vessels.

The ARX will join TEKEVER’s widely successful family of UAS, that already includes the AR3, AR4 and AR5 systems. All systems share common electronics and software architecture, enabling the reuse of ground segment elements, the facilitated cross-training of operators, and highly efficient logistics, maintenance and support processes. It also enables each system to benefit from the rapid evolution of every other, which is particularly important in the highly challenging and contested environments of today’s military reality. The ARX will arrive on the market with a Digital Twin; The ARX Digital Twin is a model of the system that serves as an indistinguishable digital counterpart for practical purposes, such as simulation, integration, testing, monitoring, and maintenance. This innovative system will greatly facilitate and bring efficiency to operator training, new sensor integrations, and maintenance, support and continuous evolution processes.