Anduril, UAE’s Edge unveil transformer drone for hovering, fast flight

MILAN — Anduril and the United Arab Emirates’ state-owned Edge Group are betting on a novel hover-to-cruise autonomous aircraft — and the UAE has already ordered the first 50 units.

The system, dubbed Omen, is the first of many platforms that the companies plan to develop and produce under their new joint venture, the Edge-Anduril Production Alliance, established in Abu Dhabi.

Edge has invested $200 million in the project and will contribute to the local production, sales, and sustainment for regional customers. Anduril is building a 50,000-square-foot research, development, and virtual simulation center to support future programs, establishing a permanent footprint in the Middle East.

Omen is designed to switch between two flight modes: it can take off, hover, and land vertically like a drone or helicopter, but can also transition to airplane-style flight for longer and faster missions. The vehicle is categorized as a Group 3 UAS – drones that in U.S. military jargon typically weigh between 55 and 1,320 pounds, operate up to roughly 18,000 feet and can reach speeds up to about 290 miles per hour.

Shane Arnott, senior vice-president at Anduril for the Maneuver Dominance division, told reporters during a Nov. 12 media briefing that its payload capacity is “three to five times” that of traditional systems in this category. Anduril has been developing Omen since 2019, but encountered setbacks with motor options.

“We hit a wall when it came to propulsion technologies. … So we’ve been working very diligently over the last few years, looking at new systems, and in particular series hybrid tech, and working with companies like Archer,” Arnott noted. “This capability will become increasingly important in the future, as we expect there to be less and less [traditional] runways available.”

California-based Archer Aviation designs and develops hybrid-electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

An initial order for 50 Omen systems has been placed for an undisclosed UAE customer. The companies declined to identify the buyer, although photos released of the model show the insignia of the country’s air force branch.

While the companies’ press release states that U.S. orders are expected to be fulfilled at Anduril’s Arsenal-1 facility in Ohio, Arnott said that no purchase has yet been made by Washington.

Executives expect full-rate production of Omen drones by 2028. Under the new alliance, workforce plans could include rotations of Emirati workers to the United States and back, and could potentially involve British and Australian personnel.

Last month, Anduril announced that it was opening a new factory in Sydney to produce the Ghost Shark undersea drone, and this week revealed it was also launching a test site in Wales to trial AI-powered systems for the British military.

These types of vehicles were primarily designed for runway-independent operations, effective in conditions where airstrips are damaged or non-existent.

Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo was a Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.

米兰——安杜里尔公司和阿联酋国有企业Edge集团正在押注一种新型的悬停巡航自主飞行器——阿联酋已经订购了首批50架。

该系统名为 Omen，是两家公司计划在新成立的合资企业 Edge-Anduril 生产联盟（位于阿布扎比）下开发和生产的众多平台中的第一个。

Edge公司已为该项目投资2亿美元，并将为区域客户的本地生产、销售和维护提供支持。Anduril公司正在建设一个占地5万平方英尺的研发和虚拟仿真中心，以支持未来的项目，并在中东地区建立永久性的业务布局。

Omen无人机设计可在两种飞行模式间切换：它可以像无人机或直升机一样垂直起飞、悬停和降落，也可以切换到飞机式飞行模式，执行更长时间、更快速的任务。该无人机被归类为3级无人机系统（UAS）——按照美国军方术语，这类无人机的重量通常在55到1320磅之间，飞行高度可达约18000英尺，最高速度可达约290英里/小时。

Anduril公司机动优势部门高级副总裁Shane Arnott在11月12日的新闻发布会上告诉记者，Omen的有效载荷能力是同类传统系统的“三到五倍”。Anduril自2019年以来一直在研发Omen，但在电机方案方面遇到了一些挫折。

“我们在推进技术方面遇到了瓶颈……因此，过去几年我们一直在努力研究新的系统，特别是串联混合动力技术，并与像Archer这样的公司合作，”阿诺特指出。“随着传统跑道的使用越来越少，这项能力在未来将变得越来越重要。”

总部位于加利福尼亚州的 Archer Aviation 公司设计和开发混合动力垂直起降飞机。

阿联酋一家未公开身份的客户已收到50套Omen系统的首批订单。两家公司均拒绝透露买家身份，但公布的型号照片显示，该系统带有阿联酋空军的标志。

虽然这些公司的新闻稿称，预计美国订单将在安杜里尔位于俄亥俄州的 Arsenal-1 工厂完成，但阿诺特表示，华盛顿方面尚未进行任何采购。

高管们预计 Omen 无人机将于 2028 年全面投产。根据新的联盟协议，劳动力计划可能包括阿联酋工人轮流到美国工作，并有可能涉及英国和澳大利亚的人员。

上个月，Anduril 宣布将在悉尼开设一家新工厂，生产“幽灵鲨”水下无人机；本周，该公司又透露将在威尔士设立一个测试基地，为英国军方试用人工智能系统。

这些类型的车辆主要设计用于无需跑道的运行，在简易机场损坏或不存在的情况下非常有效。

伊丽莎白·戈斯林-马洛曾任《防务新闻》欧洲通讯员。她的报道涵盖军事采购和国际安全等广泛领域，尤其擅长航空领域的报道。她常驻意大利米兰。