UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía and Ekolot Aerospace and Defense (EAD) have entered a strategic collaboration to integrate high-precision flight control systems into the new ZEUS vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) platform.
The partnership combines UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía’s guidance and navigation technology with Ekolot EAD’s fixed-wing VTOL design. Based in Poland, Ekolot EAD developed the ZEUS family to bridge the operational gap between small tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and heavy medium-altitude (MALE) systems. These platforms, which feature a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) ranging from 100kg to 250kg, are designed for civil, defense, and security missions in remote or hostile locations.
The ZEUS system utilizes a modular airframe that can be converted between VTOL and conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) configurations. Depending on the variant, the aircraft supports payloads between 30kg and 150kg. The ZEUS G variant, a CTOL model, is engineered for high-endurance missions lasting between 12 and 24 hours. To ensure reliability in challenging theaters, the platforms incorporate advanced autopilot systems capable of precise inertial navigation and visual navigation, allowing for continued operation in environments where GNSS signals are unavailable or denied.
Beyond the initial integration, the two companies are focusing on expanding their market presence in Poland and the LATAM region. The successful implementation of flight control systems on the primary ZEUS platform serves as a foundation for upcoming projects involving the ZEUS G and ZEUS CTOL variants. These future iterations are intended to meet increasing demand for long-endurance, high-payload unmanned systems.
Edgardo Zapata, CEO at Ekolot Aerospace & Defense, said, “For EAD (Ekolot Aerospace & Defense), working with UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía means ensuring quality and reliability in one of the most critical components of our platform. This collaboration allows us to look to the future with confidence, exploring new opportunities and joint projects.”
The cooperation emphasizes a shared vision for developing robust, payload-agnostic solutions for the global unmanned aircraft industry. By providing critical flight control systems and engineering expertise, UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía aims to consolidate its role as a provider of navigation solutions for UAS executing complex operations in high-demand environments.
