Airbus completes first flight of its autonomous drone interceptor

Monday 30 March 2026 - 14:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Airbus completes first flight of its autonomous drone interceptor

Airbus has conducted the inaugural demonstration flight of its unmanned interceptor drone, the Bird of Prey, a system engineered to autonomously detect and neutralize kamikaze drones at a fraction of the cost of conventional air defense missiles.

During a test flight in Germany, the Bird of Prey autonomously identified and destroyed a kamikaze drone target using a Mark I missile developed in partnership with Estonian startup Frankenburg Technologies, the company announced Monday. The prototype carried four of these lightweight guided missiles for the demonstration, though the operational variant is designed to carry up to eight.

The Mark I missiles each weigh less than two kilograms, placing them among the lightest guided interceptors developed to date. They have an engagement range of up to 1.5 kilometers and are built entirely from commercially available components. Frankenburg has positioned the weapon as a mass-producible interceptor that could cost up to ten times less than traditional air defense systems.

Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, described the Bird of Prey as an efficient and cost-effective interception system, pointing to the growing challenge posed by asymmetric aerial threats.

The Bird of Prey is based on a modified version of the Do-DT25, a target drone Airbus has produced for decades for air defense training. Airbus first unveiled the concept, initially named LOAD for Low-Cost Air Defence, at an unmanned systems trade show in Bonn in March 2025, when executives announced a prototype would fly before the end of the year. The Do-DT25 has an operational range of roughly 100 kilometers, is catapult-launched, and returns by parachute for reuse. The platform had already demonstrated autonomous counter-drone capabilities during a September 2025 trial using Shield AI's Hivemind software in Norway.

Airbus stated the Bird of Prey is designed to integrate with NATO's air defense architecture through its Integrated Battle Management System. Further tests involving live warheads are planned throughout 2026 to accelerate industrialization and potential sales to allied nations.

The announcement comes as Europe pushes to develop affordable counter-drone systems, drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine, where low-cost kamikaze drones have strained conventional air defenses. Frankenburg Technologies separately announced on March 27 a production partnership with Polish state defense group PGZ to manufacture the Mark I missile at scale.