Drone makes history landing on Royal Navy aircraft carrier at sea

The UK Royal Navy (RN) has flown an uncrewed air system (UAS) onto and off an aircraft carrier for the first time. The successful trial demonstrated new capability for the navy and a new approach to procurement.


The UAS – developed and built by W Autonomous Systems (WAS) – flew from Predannack airfield (part of Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose) on Lizard Peninsula, southwest UK, to the Queen Elizabeth-class carrier HMS Prince of Wales, operating offshore. The UAS delivered its payload, and returned to Predannack.

The WAS HCMC twin-engine heavy-lift UAS can carry a 100 kg payload at ranges up to 1,000 km. To launch and land, it needs a 150 m runway, which will be found at a shore base or onboard a carrier. Its flight operations are supported by an autopilot system.

In an 8 September press statement, the RN noted that its UAS capability development programme has twin aims: developing capacity to re-supply carriers at sea with food, spares, and other stores, without using crewed helicopters; and taking initial steps in building safe integration when operating uncrewed aircraft from RN platforms that also operate crewed aircraft.