UK selects TEKEVER AR5 drones in £400 million Army surveillance deal

On the 25th of July, the UK Government announced that it has selected TEKEVER AR5 ISR drones for its armed forces. The new investment is for up to £400 million and will see the British Army equipped with the “latest spy drone technology.”

TEKEVER UK’s Managing Director, Karl Brew, noted, “CORVUS represents a major step change in delivering cutting-edge autonomy to the British Army. This isn’t about a platform, it’s about building and sustaining sovereign capability that stays one step ahead of our adversaries.”

The TEKEVER AR5 is a Portuguese-British medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial system designed for maritime and ground surveillance missions, search-and-rescue operations, and patrol missions.

British troops will be better protected and more lethal on the battlefield, with an investment of up to £400M equipping the @BritishArmy with new spy drones.

TEKEVER's AR5 will replace Watchkeeper drones in a deal supporting hundreds of British jobs. pic.twitter.com/wT5Vppbmh5

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) July 25, 2026

The family was initially designed in the 2010s for the monitoring of extensive border areas. It has already been used by the UK for monitoring small-boat crossings of the English Channel.

The British Army’s initial order is for six AR5 drones and up to 24 to be delivered by 2029. The first examples are expected to go through trials and enter service later this year, with the contract including sustainment support for five years. It has the option to extend.

Already combat-proven in Ukraine

The TEKEVER AR5 drones are able to carry up to 50kg of surveillance equipment, such as cameras and sensors. They also have a longer endurance (advertised as 20 hours) compared with the previous aging Watchkeeper systems currently used by the British Army.

The Watchkeeper has been in service since 2014 and is now reaching the end of its operational life. The AR5 offers a significant increase in capability, including sensor capability and reliability.

The selection of the AR5 highlights the role British aid to Ukraine is playing in the rapid development of mature military drones in the United Kingdom. The drone has already been used by Ukraine on the battlefield against Russian forces.

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said of the procurement: “Proven in Ukraine and designed to protect British soldiers globally, we’ve chosen the UK-based TEKEVER AR5 drone to supply our personnel with kit that will keep them ahead of emerging threats.”

TEKEVER AR5 drones to be built at new Swindon facility

The drones are to be produced at TEKEVER’s upcoming manufacturing facility at Swindon, which ADS Advance reported on in September 2025. That new 254 000 square foot site is the largest UK TEKEVER site to date.

The British statement says the drones will provide better protection for the British soldiers and make them more lethal on the battlefield. They will give commanders real-time intelligence to make informed battlefield decisions.

The full contract for the surveillance drones is expected to sustain and create hundreds of jobs at TEKEVER’s sites in the UK. The Government claims it reflects its commitment to drive defence “as an engine for growth and supporting the reindustrialisation of industry in Britain.”

TEKEVER says the AR5 is its most advanced medium-altitude, medium-endurance fixed-wing UAS on the market.