Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Aerospace
  • /
  • Blue Bear demos collaborative 20-drone swarm on BVLOS ops

Aerospace Defence Security

Blue Bear demos collaborative 20-drone swarm on BVLOS ops

Blue Bear Systems has proven its latest swarming drone technology, operating 20 fixed wing drones to form a collaborative heterogeneous swarm, conducting Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) operations.

Image courtesy Blue Bear
 
Building on its 12-drone swarm, previously demonstrated earlier in July, the latest heterogenous swarm consisted of five different types and sizes of fixed wing Blue Bear drones, including Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) fixed wing Ghost/Modular Ghost UAS, conventional fixed wing Red Kite UAS, conventional fixed wing Cobra UAS and smaller hand launched Flat Pack UAS.

Advertisement
Teledyne

 
Across the swarm, six different types of payload from five different companies were integrated through Blue Bear plug and play open architectures and SmartConnectTM technology. Payloads and payload support came from Plextek DTS, IQHQ, Airbus, RFEL, Durham University, and Blue Bear. The drones flew simultaneous Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) cooperative tasks, with Blue Bear collaborative autonomy, ensuring they all contributed to overall mission goals.
 
The swarm of 20 was commanded by three operators in Blue Bear’s Mobile Mission Command System (MCCS) whilst simultaneously handling different, collaborative payload analysis tasks.
 
To further reduce the burden on the operator, Blue Bear’s Artificial Intelligence platform (BBAI) was running on a number of the UAS Swarm, and processing sensor data on the aircraft before sending only relevant data back to the ground.
 
Advertisement
Gulfstream RT

Blue Bear Airspace Deconfliction Layer (ADL) technology was running in the background to aid the automatic deconfliction of BVLOS flights within the swarm, and to track the presence of any third party aircraft.
 
Ian Williams-Wynn, MD, said: “Demonstrating BVLOS operations of a 20-drone swarm shows how far we have come in the 18 months this project has been running. I am so proud of the whole team who have put a phenomenal amount of effort in to deliver the UK’s most complex autonomous air vehicle trial ever!”
 
Throughout the two weeks of trials BB regularly operated swarms of 10 to 14 collaborative UAS, and flew more than 220 UAS sorties, building up to be able to operate a 20 UAS swarm. The trials concluded with a multi-vehicle ‘button click’ to launch simultaneous take off and mission deployment of four Ghost UAS (See video) in 30knt winds.
 
This work was fast-tracked with £2.5 million funding through DASA’s Many Drones Make Light Work competition within Dstl’s Autonomy Programme.

 

Advertisement
PTC PTC
Siemens and NVIDIA team to drive AI in advanced manufacturing

Aerospace Defence Security

Siemens and NVIDIA team to drive AI in advanced manufacturing

2 July 2025

Siemens and NVIDIA are expanding their partnership to accelerate the next era of industrial AI and digitalisation, towards enabling the factory of the future.

Marshall completes sale of Slingsby Advanced Composites to Mangohojden AB

Aerospace Defence

Marshall completes sale of Slingsby Advanced Composites to Mangohojden AB

2 July 2025

Marshall has announced the completion of the sale of its subsidiary, Slingsby Advanced Composites Ltd., to Mangohojden AB, formerly known as Goldcup 101485 AB, a privately held Swedish company seeking to develop a group of specialist aerospace and defence businesses.

Manchester Airport to Mumbai route set to provide economic boost

Aerospace

Manchester Airport to Mumbai route set to provide economic boost

2 July 2025

A new route between Manchester Airport and Mumbai – India’s financial capital – will deliver an economic boost worth hundreds of millions to the North over the next three years, research out today reveals.

Aircraft order backlog hits record 16,073

Aerospace

Aircraft order backlog hits record 16,073

2 July 2025

Commercial aircraft orders increased by almost 900% in May 2025 compared to May 2024, pushing the total aircraft backlog to a record 16,073 – the first time it has ever exceeded 16,000, according to ADS.

Advertisement
Gulfstream RT
Lucideon and MTC enter strategic partnership

Aerospace Defence

Lucideon and MTC enter strategic partnership

1 July 2025

Development and commercialisation organisation (DCO) specialising in advanced materials, Lucideon, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to drive next-gen performance in advanced ceramics.

Teledyne FLIR OEM unveils brand and website update

Aerospace Defence Security

Teledyne FLIR OEM unveils brand and website update

1 July 2025

Teledyne FLIR OEM, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, today announced the strategic evolution of the Teledyne FLIR OEM brand.

Advertisement
Teledyne