EDA taps Airbus to broaden Capa-X drone mission roles

by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Mar 09, 2026
Airbus Helicopters, through its subsidiary Survey Copter, has been selected by the European Defence Agency for the Multi Mission Unmanned Aircraft System project, which aims to develop a hybrid uncrewed aircraft for a range of operational roles.

The contract runs for 48 months with a total budget of about 1.1 million euros and focuses on evolving the existing Capa-X uncrewed aerial system into a more capable and flexible platform for defence missions.

According to Airbus, the goal is to create a hybrid aircraft that can adapt to different operational scenarios through changes in configuration and payloads, while keeping the core Capa-X architecture as the basis for the new capabilities.

"We would like to thank the EDA for the trust it has placed in us. This selection is a major recognition of our expertise in tactical drone systems and reflects our commitment to supporting the development of innovative European defence capabilities," said Christophe Canguilhem, Director of the Capa-X programme at Airbus Helicopters.

He added that the characteristics of the Capa-X system align closely with the needs of the Multi Mission Unmanned Aircraft System project and that its scalable design offers an operational solution that can be adjusted to the requirements of armed forces.

The first 12 month phase of the project will analyse current and future military operational needs, assess key technological challenges and identify development paths that can increase the versatility and efficiency of the Capa-X system.

This initial phase is intended to guide technological choices for future upgrades, with an emphasis on improving multi mission potential so that the platform can move beyond its current roles and incorporate more complex payloads and mission profiles.

Over the longer term, the Multi Mission Unmanned Aircraft System initiative is expected to inform new drone architectures that can carry out missions including surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare support, aerial effects deployment and automated in flight refuelling.

By defining these architectures and associated technologies, the project aims to reinforce European capabilities in uncrewed aerial systems and provide a framework for future operational concepts that rely more heavily on drones.

The Capa-X system today is a 120 kilogram class multi mission drone with a data link range of up to 100 kilometres, endurance of up to 10 hours and a payload capacity of as much as 20 kilograms.

Its modular design allows operators to tailor the aircraft to specific missions and regulatory environments, making it suitable for use by public authorities, armed forces, civil users and parapublic operators who need a flexible uncrewed platform.