Royal Navy Unveils Next-Generation Uncrewed Rotorcraft

The Proteus uncrewed rotorcraft technology demonstrator has been unveiled after a joint project with the Royal Navy, MOD and Leonardo UK (Picture: Navy News)

The Royal Navy, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence and a leading UK aerospace company, has revealed the design of a new uncrewed rotorcraft aimed at transforming maritime aviation.

Weighing three tonnes, the advanced aircraft is designed to enhance autonomy, modular payload capabilities, and cutting-edge rotorcraft technology. As part of a £60 million project, the aircraft will play a key role in modernising naval aviation and supporting critical missions such as anti-submarine warfare.

Scheduled for its first flight in mid-2025, the rotorcraft will serve as a test platform for autonomous systems, innovative design, and advanced manufacturing techniques. A key feature of its design is a modular payload bay, which allows operators to swap equipment based on mission requirements, balancing fuel capacity and operational needs. This flexibility reduces the need for multiple aircraft types and enhances operational efficiency.

The project is part of a broader effort to integrate large autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft into the Royal Navy’s fleet. It will test and refine advanced flight control systems, including algorithms crucial for future uncrewed maritime operations. Additionally, a virtual replica of the aircraft is being developed to explore artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) capabilities in a simulated environment.

This technology demonstrator represents a major step forward in the Royal Navy’s strategy to modernise its aviation capabilities and embrace the future of autonomous warfare.