BAE Systems Buys Heavy Lift Drone Company

British technology business Malloy Aeronautics has been acquired by BAE Systems and will be part of FalconWorks, the research and development business within BAE Systems Air sector By Joseph Macey / 06 Feb 2024

Quadcopters

Discover cutting-edge solutions from 4 leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
BAE Systems Buys Heavy Lift Drone Company
Follow DA

Malloy Aeronautics, a company in heavy lift drone and aeronautical technologies, has been acquired by BAE Systems.

Malloy Aeronautics will be part of FalconWorks, the research and development business within BAE Systems’ Air sector.

Dave Holmes, Managing Director of FalconWorks, said: “Malloy’s expertise and innovation in quadcopters and sustainable air vehicles is an exciting addition to our FalconWorks® family. This acquisition supports our commitment to increase our portfolio of products, offering new and existing customers the cutting-edge solutions they need.”

Malloy Aeronautics designs and supplies all-electric uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) to both civil and military customers. Its range of uncrewed, heavy lift quadcopters are capable of lifting payloads from 68kg to 300kg over short to medium range missions.

These platforms offer interchangeable capabilities and greater flexibility at a fraction of the cost and time of more traditional methods, whilst minimizing risk to more expensive assets and human life.

Malloy’s approximately 80 strong workforce will continue to operate from its site in Berkshire, supporting its existing customers. BAE Systems and Malloy, who have been working together in advancing cutting-edge UAS solutions since 2021, will further develop Malloy’s existing portfolio and accelerate new and novel technologies to customers worldwide.

Simon Barnes, Group Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Air sector, said; “Our acquisition of Malloy Aeronautics is part of our ongoing strategy to develop and invest in breakthrough technologies which augment our existing capabilities and provide our customers with the innovation they need in response to evolving requirements. We’re confident that the synergy between our two companies will pave the way for even greater achievements in uncrewed aerial systems and technologies.”

BAE Systems and Malloy Aeronautics engineers have been developing the 300kg T-650 all-electric ‘heavy lift’ UAS as a potential new solution to deliver cost-effective, sustainable rapid response capability to military, security and civilian customers.

Last year, the companies announced the successful demonstration of the carriage and release of a 200kg inert Sting Ray Training Variant Torpedo using the T-600 demonstrator aircraft during a large NATO exercise, known as REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Uncrewed Systems).

Oriol Badia, Chief Operating Officer of Malloy Aeronautics, added; “We’ve come a long way over the last ten years, turning our vision of sustainable electric heavy lift technology into reality, thanks to the dedication and efforts of our team. This new step in our journey with BAE Systems will allow us to combine the strengths and vision of a young company with the reach and support of an experienced one, ultimately giving our customers the ability to scale their demands and allow us to deliver innovative new products – including the T-650 – at pace.”

Posted by Joseph Macey Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

The Importance of VPX Development Chassis for Defense Platforms

LCR explains how VPX development chassis support high-power payloads with advanced cooling options, while accelerating application development for critical embedded systems

Jun 13, 2025
Troposcatter Communication System Debuts in Asia Pacific at Indo Defence

Spectra Group introduces its mobile, satellite-independent Troposcatter on the Move system at Indo Defence 2025, enhancing resilient communications across maritime and littoral environments

Jun 13, 2025
UK MOD & GA-ASI Finalize Sustainment Contract for MQ-9B-Based Protector RG Mk1

The UK MOD and GA-ASI have signed a contract to support and sustain the RAF’s Protector RG Mk1, based on the MQ-9B

Jun 12, 2025
Neousys Brings Rugged Edge AI to IDET 2025 with Elvac

Neousys Technology displayed its rugged edge AI computers at IDET 2025, partnering with Elvac to showcase advanced solutions for armored vehicles, security drones, and UGVs

Jun 12, 2025
Advanced Unmanned Helicopter Systems for Critical Defense & Government Missions

Defense Advancement is showcasing Sabrobotix advanced unmanned helicopter platforms for mission-critical defense and government applications

Jun 12, 2025
Trillium Launches Advanced Gimbal for Medium & Long Range Reconnaissance

Trillium Engineering’s new HD45 LV R delivers advanced imaging performance in an ultra-light gimbal, optimized for long range and medium range ISR missions

Jun 11, 2025

Featured Content

Trillium Launches Advanced Gimbal for Medium & Long Range Reconnaissance

Trillium Engineering’s new HD45 LV R delivers advanced imaging performance in an ultra-light gimbal, optimized for long range and medium range ISR missions

Jun 11, 2025
Honeywell Unveils New Lightweight Tactical-Grade IMU

Honeywell has launched the HG3900 IMU, a compact tactical-grade unit with reduced size and power consumption while maintaining near-navigation-grade performance levels

Jun 10, 2025
Teledyne Marine Showcases Integrated Maritime Security Capabilities at SeaSEC Challenge 2025

Teledyne Marine joined SeaSEC Challenge 2025 to demonstrate integrated sonar, acoustic, and AUV technologies in live maritime threat scenarios, supporting international efforts to protect critical underwater infrastructure

Jun 05, 2025
Advancing Defense Capability Through Strategic Collaboration Defense Advancement works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive defense capabilities forward.