TEKEVER will supply the British Army under £400 million Project CORVUS

TEKEVER will supply the British Army under £400 million Project CORVUS - Portugal Business News

Defence News Europe - Portuguese drones from TEKEVER will supply the British Army under £400 million Project CORVUS. TEKEVER will provide a fleet of spy drones to equip British soldiers, according to an announcement by the British Ministry of Defence dated July 25, 2026. Here are the specifications of the AR5 surveillance drones:

British soldiers will be better protected and more lethal on the battlefield with the latest spy drone technology from Portuguese company TEKEVER. The initial order will be for six TEKEVER AR5 drones, with up to 24 delivered by 2029.

What are the AR5 surveillance drones?

The new TEKEVER AR5 surveillance drones chosen to keep British troops safe through round-the-clock intelligence gathering will be able to carry up to 50kg in surveillance equipment, such as cameras and sensors, and can fly for longer than previous systems the Army has used, giving commanders real-time intelligence to protect troops and inform battlefield decisions.   

The AR5 has been selected to replace the ageing Watchkeeper drones, under a deal worth up to £400 million over the next 10 years. The drone will be built in Tekever’s soon to be open Swindon manufacturing facility in the UK. The new AR5 drones offer significantly improved endurance, sensor capability and reliability, ensuring that the Army maintains a battle-winning edge in surveillance and reconnaissance systems.

The TEKEVER AR5 drone has been used by Ukraine’s Armed Forces on the battlefield, as they continue their fight against Russia’s unprovoked invasion:

¨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.¨ - UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting