The cutting of first metal for the UK’s 124m Taranis UCAV (unmanned combat air vehicle) technology demonstrator programme has been performed. In addition to the physical manufacture of the Taranis airframe now being underway, the design of the autonomous systems have also been finalised.

Taranis, at about the size of a BAE Systems Hawk, will be the largest UAV yet built in the UK, and as part of the UK MoD’s Strategic Unmanned Air Vehicle (Experiment) (SUAV(E)) programme will explore and demonstrate how emerging technologies and systems can deliver battle-winning capabilities for the UK armed forces.

Taranis electronics can autonomously control the aircraft to taxi, take off, and navigate its way to a search area while reacting to any threats or other events. It will then route its way around the search area in whichever way it wants to, locate the target, and then use its sensor system to transmit a series of images and views back to the operator to confirm it is the target to be attacked. Then, once it has been authorised to do so, it autonomously attacks that target, routes its way back home, lands and taxies back.

The initial concept for Taranis was built on the BAE Systems-funded Raven programme and many other technology de-risking activities undertaken under both industry and MOD funding. Raven demonstrated, in flight, an autonomous system using a configuration similar to the one proposed for Taranis.