Tekever chosen to supply surveillance drones to the British Army

Tekever, a company based at UPTEC – Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto has been selected by the UK Ministry of Defence to supply the next generation of surveillance drones to the British Army, under a contract that could be worth around 470 million euros over the next decade.

The company will supply the new AR5 surveillance drones, an unmanned aerial system, as part of the CORVUS project, which aims to transform the British Army’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

“CORVUS represents a radical shift in delivering cutting-edge autonomy to the British Army. It is not about a single platform, but rather about building and maintaining a sovereign capability that is always one step ahead of adversaries,” explains Karl Brew, managing director of Tekever in the UK. “Through CORVUS, Tekever aims to create a new type of partnership between government and industry, where we will ensure a constant cycle of capability evolution that provides a decisive advantage to our end-users,” he adds.

Initially, the UK plans to acquire six AR5 drones, a figure set to rise to 24 aircraft by 2029. The system will enhance the Army’s reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities, carrying up to 50 kilograms of sensors and cameras and remaining airborne for longer than the systems currently in use.

The drones will be manufactured at Tekever’s new industrial facility in Swindon, which is due to open soon. The new factory forms part of the company’s growth plan in the UK, which aims to create 1,000 skilled jobs by 2030. The facility complements the existing factories in Portugal and France, enabling Tekever to scale up its production and meet orders from different customers and regions.

Tekever, a UPTEC company that became Portugal’s seventh unicorn in 2025, is thus strengthening its position as one of Europe’s leading companies in the development of autonomous systems for defence and security.