UAE defence company Edge unveils aerial drone swarms to overwhelm enemy targets

Winged UAVs can be sent to strike airfields or enemy convoys, company says

Swarms of armed aerial drones that can overwhelm enemy ground targets were unveiled by an Emirati defence company on Sunday.

Edge said the aerial fleet could be sent to strike at airfields or armoured convoys, as the Unmanned System Exhibition and Conference (Umex) got under way in Abu Dhabi.

The company's "swarming drones" are based on the Hunter 2 series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) developed by Halcon, a regional leader in the production of precision-guided weapons.

"Designed to ensure a decisive edge in combat, the ground-launched drones fly in formation to perform a co-ordinated mission that can overwhelm an adversary," Edge said in a news release.

"Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence technology, the tactical drones share information with one another to track and maintain their relative positions, and to effectively engage targets.

The Scorpio-B can be equipped with remote weapon systems, twin 40mm grenade launchers, pan-tilt-zoom cameras and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance sensors with the possibility to mount various payloads of up to 200kg. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

The VooDoo-M Multi-Mission Thermal Sight by Pixels.

The UKRSPEC Systems drone.

Robotic Targets by Marathon Target Australia.

Abu Dhabi Police smart Police Car.

AUH Police Smart Police Car.

AM Industries stall.

Mahgoub Omer attaches the foam mixer of the RS3 firefighting robot by Thermite.

The Abu Dhabi Police VR Rowing Machine.

Cristanini CBRN decontamination system.

Schiebel Camcopter S-100.

The Kaman Kargo drone. Victor Besa / The National

Emirati aeronautical engineers test the Interdata system at UMEX.

The Skeldar V-150.

The PE-04 by Etimad.

DOK-ING presented Komodo, an innovative remote-controlled robotic system for operations in extreme nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) conditions at its headquarters in Zagreb. It is a unique machine that can operate in conditions of an open fire, explosion, collapse, high concentrations of explosive and toxic substances, as well as in terrorist threats.

Edge's Shadow series drone is displayed on the opening day of Umex at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

A Hunter 2-S drone, which can be used in 'swarming' air-to-ground attacks.

The Edge stand at Umex.

The Garmoosha by Edge is displayed on the opening day of Umex.

The QX-6, another Edge product.

An unmanned Amed Robotic Vehicle.

The 71S by Edge.

The QX-3 by Edge.

The Scorpio-B by Edge.

The Edge Shadow series.

"Featuring a maximum take-off weight of 8kg, the swarm of drones are agile and responsive while being directed to their target, which may include enemy fighter jets on the tarmac at a military base, or an incoming convoy of enemy armoured vehicles."

The winged UAVs can be deployed in a matter of seconds and feature a wingspan of 1.44 metres and a length of 1.25m, the company said.

Saeed Al Mansoori, chief executive of Halcon, said: “We see AI playing a critical role in the advancement of the defence sector and beyond, and Edge and Halcon are determined to remain at the cutting-edge of these developments that are shaping our sector and the wider world, from our base in the UAE.

"The level of autonomy afforded by these swarming drones is a significant achievement for us, and we are committed to fast-tracking R&D investments in these domains to bring related products to market with speed in the areas of autonomous systems and smart munitions.”

Earlier, in an opening speech, Mohammed Al Bawardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, said aerial drones have major potential for military and civilian use.

There are major opportunities for commerce, with some countries considering delivery drones for packages.

There would need to be tight regulations and human oversight for any artificial intelligence applications, he said.

"Today, more than ever, we understand the importance of safeguarding our nation by ensuring that these technologies are tools that we can use [and that] other tools can be used against us," Mr Al Bawardi said on Sunday, the first day of the four-day event.

"These systems don't become tired. They don't need breaks and they have no need for sleep. These capabilities are a benefit to officers on the battlefield."

World's largest aerial drones – in pictures

American sailors move a US Navy X-47B unmanned combat air system demonstrator on to an elevator aboard the aircraft carrier ‘USS George H.W. Bush’ in the Atlantic Ocean. The ship was the first to successfully catapult-launch an unmanned aircraft from its flight deck. Photo: US Navy

An RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft like the one shown is currently flying non-military mapping missions over South America, Central America and the Caribbean at the request of partner nations in the region. Photo: US Air Force / Bobbi Zapka

A still image, taken from a video footage released by Russia's Defence Ministry, shows a Russian Altius-U military long-range unmanned aerial vehicle during a test flight at an unknown location. Photo: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation / Handout via Reuters

The first joint flight of a Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle and a Sukhoi Su-57 jet fighter. As part of a testing programme, Okhotnik has performed a fully unmanned flight into an airborne alert area. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry / Tass

A screengrab of an S-70 unmanned combat air vehicle.

The Lockheed Martin SR-72, sometimes called Son of Blackbird, is a US hypersonic UAV drone intended for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Photo: Lockheed Martin

A team of 12th Aircraft Maintenance Unit Airmen walk beside an RQ-4 Global Hawk drone. EPA

An X-47B pilot-less drone is launched for the first time off an aircraft carrier, the USS George H. W. Bush, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia.