Portugal’s Tekever unveils autonomous drone capable of carrying 200kg over 500km – Portugal Resident
Portuguese defence technology company Tekever has launched a new family of autonomous heavy-lift drones capable of carrying up to 200 kilograms over distances of 500 kilometres, marking the company’s expansion into the rapidly growing autonomous cargo transport market.
The new AR6 platform was unveiled at Farnborough International Airshow in the UK and has been developed in partnership with British small and medium-sized enterprises.
Production is expected to begin by the end of 2026 at Tekever’s manufacturing facility in Swindon, England.
According to the Lisbon-based company, the AR6 has been designed to address a gap in the autonomous logistics market, where many existing electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) platforms are typically limited to payloads of around 100kg and operating ranges of between one and five kilometres.
Tekever said the new system combines advanced hydraulic and propulsion technologies to achieve its extended range and payload capacity, while being engineered to operate in harsh environments, including extreme heat and cold, with relatively low maintenance requirements.
The company sees the AR6 serving both civilian and military customers.
Civilian applications include logistics, offshore operations, medical supply missions, search and rescue, and disaster response.
For defence users, the drone is intended to support casualty evacuation, frontline logistics and joint operations alongside crewed aircraft.
Tekever highlighted its involvement in the UK’s Project Nyx, which is exploring coordinated operations between autonomous aircraft and Apache attack helicopters.
The military version of the AR6 is expected to feature fully autonomous operation without reliance on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), as well as swarm capabilities, manned-unmanned teaming and enhanced survivability in contested operational environments.
“The AR6 represents the next evolution of our autonomous capability,” said Tekever CEO Ricardo Mendes.
“For years, we have helped customers move information. Today, we are extending that capability to the physical movement of what matters most.”
Karl Brew, who heads Tekever’s UK operations, said the company is applying operational experience gained in Ukraine and other markets to a broader range of autonomous transport missions.
The launch marks a significant expansion for Tekever, which has built its international reputation through autonomous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems.
Source: Executive Digest/ ukdefencejournal.org.uk/ Tekever
