Puerto Rico-based Red Cat Holdings has secured a contract to provide Edge 130 Blue vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) systems for the Royal Australian Navy.
The agreement covers 12 of the small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) that can be used for strikes, survey, reconnaissance, and long-range mapping missions.
Edge 130 Blue’s VTOL capability and weight of about 1.2 kilograms (2.6 pounds) enables users to deploy the system conveniently across littoral and maritime environments.
It can fly autonomously for 60 minutes and travel at a speed of 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour.
Red Cat noted that the drone can be assembled and hand-launched in under one minute by a single operator.
“Our mission is to equip warfighters around the globe with cutting-edge sUAS technology,” Red Cat CEO Jeff Thompson stated.
“The Edge 130 Blue, with its advanced long-range surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, offers a significant advantage in maritime and other challenging environments.”
“We are excited to expand our partnership with the Australian defense forces through this initial tranche of Edge 130 units. Their investment in small ISR and precision strike drones is vital for enhancing security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Red Cat signed a similar contract earlier in October for the supply of the Edge 130 Blue platforms to the US Army.
Red Cat launched the Edge 130 Blue in June 2024 alongside other surveillance and precision strike drones after the company acquired the tricopter VTOL’s developer FlightWave Aerospace Systems the same month.
