Long Endurance Drones & UAVs

Find suppliers and manufacturers of Endurance Drones and long endurance fixed wing UAVs and quadcopters, including HAPS, HALE and MALE UAVs
Overview Long Endurance Drones & UAVs
By Technology Editor Last updated: October 20th, 2023

Endurance Drones

Long endurance drones provide a flight time greater than that of typical quadcopters and small fixed-wing UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles), which typically can only stay in the air for times ranging from half an hour to a couple of hours. Their enhanced flight time allows them to cover long ranges, unlocking a variety of applications.

Propulsion

SKELDAR V-200 Long Endurance VTOL Drone by UMS SKELDAR

SKELDAR V-200 Long Endurance VTOL Drone by UMS SKELDAR

Long endurance fixed-wing and multirotor UAVs need to be large enough to carry the propulsion systems required to provide the additional flight time. Batteries have a relatively low energy density, meaning that they deliver less flight time for the extra weight they take up compared to other power sources. Endurance UAV therefore typically require an additional form of power, such as a hydrogen fuel cell or petrol-powered internal combustion engine. These drones may also utilise a hybrid power system that combines batteries with another power source.

Types

Long Endurance Fixed Wing UAV

Albatross long endurance fixed wing UAV by UAVOS

Albatross long endurance fixed wing UAV by UAVOS

Small fixed-wing UAV design typically enables greater endurance than quadcotor drones, with the ability to cover further distances, faster. Small fixed wing UAVs can be launched by hand, whereas larger fixed wings are usually launched via catapult or runway. Hybrid fixed-wing UAVs combine VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) capability with fixed wing design, enabling long flight times with minimal launch footprint.

Quadcopters, Multirotors & Unmanned Helicopters

Endurance LT – Professional Multirotor Drone by Hitec Commercial Solutions

Endurance LT – Professional Multirotor Drone by Hitec Commercial Solutions

Endurance multirotor drones require a hybrid power system or hydrogen fuel cell, as batteries alone are too bulky to provide significant mission endurance. For long-range applications requiring the manoeuvrability of rotorcraft, unmanned helicopters are more common due to their superior carrying capacity.

Tethered UAVs

Orion 2 UAS Persistent Tethered Drone for 24-Hour Surveillance by Elistair

Orion 2 UAS Persistent Tethered Drone for 24-Hour Surveillance by Elistair

Tethered drones are ideal for long endurance applications that only require the aircraft to remain in one spot, such as persistent surveillance, event security and communications relays. Tethered drones are powered from their ground station, which may be connected to a generator or mains power supply, effectively giving unlimited flight time.

High and Medium Altitude UAVs

HALE (high altitude long endurance) and MALE (medium altitude long endurance) platforms tend to be fixed-wing UAVs. MALE UAVs fly at altitudes of 10,000 to 30,000 feet, while HALE drones can operate even higher and are often capable of faster speeds. Both types are used by militaries for applications such as persistent ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) as well as providing strike capabilities.

Pseudo-Satellites

HALE UAVs may even operate in the stratosphere. These drones, also known as HAPS (high-altitude pseudo-satellites), can utilise solar power more effectively, as they are operating far above the clouds, and use solar panels during the day to recharge batteries that can power the aircraft at night. HAPS UAVs can stay aloft for days at a time, and one of the goals of the industry is to produce a platform that can fly persistently, only needing to descend every year or so for maintenance. Applications for this emerging drone technology include long-term surveillance, as well as the provision of mobile phone and internet connectivity to areas that were previously lacking.

ApusDuo High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite by UAVOS
ApusDuo High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite by UAVOS

Applications

Long endurance fixed wing UAVs and multirotors are used for a wide range of applications in the civil, commercial and defense sectors.

Military Long Endurance Drones

BRAMOR C4EYE Fixed-wing UAS for real-time ISR by C-Astral

BRAMOR C4EYE Fixed-wing UAS for real-time ISR by C-Astral

Endurance drones are used to carry out a variety of missions for military forces. They are used to gather both land-based and maritime ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), providing situational awareness for improved decision-making. They can also be used to provide a strike capability, launching attacks without needing to put pilots and operators in harm’s way.

Law Enforcement and Public Safety

Sentaero BVLOS Hybrid Fixed Wing Endurance Drone by Censys Technologies

Sentaero BVLOS Hybrid Fixed Wing Endurance Drone by Censys Technologies

Law enforcement and first responders use endurance drones to provide a persistent surveillance capability that gives an overview of the area, allowing better tracking of persons of interest as well as visibility of hazards. Search and rescue (SAR) can also benefit from these platforms, as large areas of land or water can be covered in much less time than using other methods.

Surveying & Industrial Inspection

Long endurance drones can cover large areas in a single flight without having to return to base, making them highly cost- and time-effective for a wide variety of commercial and industrial applications. These include mapping and surveying, aerial inspection of roads, railways and powerlines, precision agriculture, and fault-finding in wind farms and offshore energy platforms.

Black Swift S2 Long Endurance Fixed Wing UAV
Black Swift S2 Long Endurance Fixed Wing UAV

Products (42)

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AR5 Fixed-Wing UAS

Long-range fixed-wing UAS for naval & maritime surveillance

Long-range fixed-wing UAS for naval & maritime surveillance
...ude and medium-endurance fixed wing UAS optimized for ISR (intelligence, surveillance and...
AR3 Long-range VTOL UAV

Long-range maritime surveillance UAV with optional hybrid VTOL capability

Long-range maritime surveillance UAV with optional hybrid VTOL capability
...S designed for long-range vessel-based maritime and land missions. With an endurance of up to 16...
EDOMON

Hybrid fixed-wing VTOL UAS for long-endurance ISR

Hybrid fixed-wing VTOL UAS for long-endurance ISR
...S designed for long-range and wide-area defense, security and law enforcement applications such as...
SKIRON-XLE Unmanned Aircraft System

Fuel-cell-powered long endurance Group 2 UAS with eVTOL capability

Fuel-cell-powered long endurance Group 2 UAS with eVTOL capability
...E is a Group 2 drone powered by a hydrogen fuel cell with fixed-wing forward flight for extended...
Star-X GP-7000 UAV

Long-range fixed-wing UAV with up to 60 kg payload capacity

Long-range fixed-wing UAV with up to 60 kg payload capacity
...s a fixed-wing UAV that is ideal for long-range missions such as surveillance and cargo delivery,...
Star-X VTOL-7000HP VTOL UAV

Advanced coaxial hybrid VTOL UAV with 80 kg payload capacity

Advanced coaxial hybrid VTOL UAV with 80 kg payload capacity
...-X VTOL-7000HP UAV features an advanced coaxial hybrid VTOL design and is ideal for a wide range of...
Star-X GP-8000 UAV

Long-range fixed-wing UAV with up to 100 kg payload capacity

Long-range fixed-wing UAV with up to 100 kg payload capacity
...s a fixed-wing UAV designed for long-range missions such as surveillance and cargo delivery,...
Star-X VTOL-6500HP Pro VTOL UAV

Advanced hybrid VTOL UAV with 40 kg payload capacity

Advanced hybrid VTOL UAV with 40 kg payload capacity
... advanced VTOL UAV with a modular weatherproof design that allows it to be assembled in just five...
Star-X VTOL-4910HP VTOL UAV

20kg capacity hybrid VTOL UAV for maritime operations

20kg capacity hybrid VTOL UAV for maritime operations
... a hybrid VTOL UAV that has been specifically designed for operation in harsh maritime environments....
Star-X VTOL-4210HP-Ace VTOL UAV

Advanced hybrid VTOL UAV with 10 kg payload capacity

Advanced hybrid VTOL UAV with 10 kg payload capacity
... a hybrid VTOL UAV with a mission endurance of up to 12 hours, making it ideal for applications such...
BVT516 (VTOne) Hybrid VTOL UAV

AI-Powered Class 3 Hybrid VTOL Fixed-Wing Drone

AI-Powered Class 3 Hybrid VTOL Fixed-Wing Drone
...6 (VTOne) is a long-endurance hybrid UAV that transitions seamlessly between VTOL and fixed-wing...
Shadow S3 Unmanned Helicopter

Portable long-endurance helicopter UAV

Portable long-endurance helicopter UAV
The Shadow S3 is a next-generation unmanned helicopter featuring a revolutionary streamlined design ...
X-P5 Fixed-Wing VTOL UAV

Multi-mission 7-metre wingspan folding-wing drone with hybrid electric/combustion engine powertrain

Multi-mission 7-metre wingspan folding-wing drone with hybrid electric/combustion engine powertrain
...TOL fixed-wing UAV that can be equipped for cargo delivery or other sensor-enabled missions such as...
QL Tandem Fixed Wing VTOL UAV

Long-endurance hybrid VTOL UAV with tandem-wing design

Long-endurance hybrid VTOL UAV with tandem-wing design
...f and landing) UAV with a tandem-wing design and four rotors, combining the maneuverability...
Penguin B Small UAV Airframe

Highly configurable fixed-wing UAV with wide range of options

Highly configurable fixed-wing UAV with wide range of options
... over 20 hours endurance...
VXE30 VTOL UAS

Fully autonomous hybrid VTOL UAS for long-endurance ISR

Fully autonomous hybrid VTOL UAS for long-endurance ISR
...S designed for long-endurance imaging and ISR missions. Practically silent at close range, the small...
FDG50F Hybrid VTOL UAV Airframe

Long-endurance UAV frame with 10kg payload capacity

Long-endurance UAV frame with 10kg payload capacity
... a hybrid VTOL UAV that combines the manoeuvrability of multirotor platforms with the long range and...
FDG51 Heavy Load Tandem-Wing UAV

Heavy-payload drone with 55kg capacity

Heavy-payload drone with 55kg capacity
...eavy-lift VTOL drone with a unique tandem-wing configuration and a lightweight carbon fiber...
Penguin C Mk2 Fixed-Wing UAS

Catapult launched up to 25 hour endurance UAS

Catapult launched up to 25 hour endurance UAS
...edium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) fixed-wing UAS that is launched by catapult and can be...
Penguin C Mk2.5 VTOL UAS

Group 3 / NATO Class I UAS with long endurance, long-range, low logistical footprint

Group 3 / NATO Class I UAS with long endurance, long-range, low logistical footprint
...edium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAS with a hybrid VTOL capability that allows rapid deployment...
C100 Heavy-Lift Quadcopter

Foldable long-endurance heavy payload drone

Foldable long-endurance heavy payload drone
...leading flight endurance, capable of missions of up to 74 minutes with a payload. The low-SWaP...
SKIRON-X Unmanned Aircraft System

Battery-powered tactical Group 2 UAS with eVTOL capability

Battery-powered tactical Group 2 UAS with eVTOL capability
...nger range and endurance of a fixed-wing design. It executes missions at undetectable altitudes and... ...X is a Group 2 drone that combines the simple operation of an electric vertical take-off and landing...
Spirit-One Hybrid eVTOL Drone

All-electric hybrid VTOL drone for delivery and inspection

All-electric hybrid VTOL drone for delivery and inspection
... of fixed-wing drones....
Spirit-X Hybrid eVTOL Drone

Extended-range delivery drone with high capacity

Extended-range delivery drone with high capacity
...and inspection drone, engineered to carry larger payloads over even greater distances....
Sword 3.0 UAV

Long-range surveillance and cargo drone

Long-range surveillance and cargo drone
...y of 10 kg and long endurance, Sword 3.0 is highly suited to a variety of BVLOS and commercial... ...ced fixed-wing UAV with a 3-metre wingspan, designed for surveillance, data collection and cargo...
Sword 4.0 UAV

Large capacity twin-wing drone for surveillance & delivery

Large capacity twin-wing drone for surveillance & delivery
...y of 15 kg and long endurance, Sword 3.0 is highly suited to a variety of BVLOS and commercial... ...ced fixed-wing UAV with a 4-metre wingspan, designed for surveillance, data collection and cargo...
Sword Cargo 4.0

Fixed-wing aerial cargo delivery drone

Fixed-wing aerial cargo delivery drone
...cargo delivery drone platform with a 4-metre wingspan. With a payload capacity of 20 to 50 kg, it...
Sword Cargo 6.0

Advanced heavy-lift delivery drone platform

Advanced heavy-lift delivery drone platform
...cargo delivery drone platform with a 6-metre wingspan. With a payload capacity of up to 250 kg, it...
Dagger 2.0 UAV

Advanced fixed-wing drone for BVLOS surveillance & sensor deployment

Advanced fixed-wing drone for BVLOS surveillance & sensor deployment
...ced fixed-wing UAV platform with a highly efficient low-drag canard design and a 2-metre wingspan,...
Dagger 2.7 UAV

Long-endurance BVLOS fixed-wing UAV with large payload capacity

Long-endurance BVLOS fixed-wing UAV with large payload capacity
...ced fixed-wing UAV platform with a highly efficient low-drag canard design and a 2.7-metre wingspan,...
Sword Cargo 5.0

Long-range heavy lifting cargo delivery drone

Long-range heavy lifting cargo delivery drone
...cargo delivery drone platform with a 5-metre wingspan. With a payload capacity of 50 to 150 kg, it...
Ranger P2X Unmanned Helicopter

Long Endurance Electric Unmanned Helicopter

Long Endurance Electric Unmanned Helicopter
...ger P2-X is a long-endurance unmanned helicopter drone that features a modular quick-disassembly...
VA32 Fixed-Wing VTOL Drone

Heavy-lift, long-endurance, fixed-wing VTOL UAV platform

Heavy-lift, long-endurance, fixed-wing VTOL UAV platform
The VA32 is a long-endurance, fixed-wing VTOL UAV platform engineered for superior performance... ...ves impressive endurance and flight efficiency while maintaining structural integrity under...
SF30 Group 2/3 UAS

Rugged long-endurance hybrid VTOL ISR platform

Rugged long-endurance hybrid VTOL ISR platform
......external power input for uninterrupted performance during long-duration missions....
FB3 Heavy-Lift Multirotor Drone

All-electric heavy payload UAV with 100 kg carrying capacity

All-electric heavy payload UAV with 100 kg carrying capacity
...avy-lift cargo drone with an unmatched combination of carrying capacity and compact size. Able to...
VA25 VTOL UAV

Long endurance VTOL drone

Long endurance VTOL drone
T-DRONES VA25 is a long endurance VTOL UAV can fly for up to 210 minutes with 1kg payload....
Alien-X

VTOL drone for ISR & armed roles

VTOL drone for ISR & armed roles
...kg MTOW and an endurance of up to 8 hours. It stands out among the other VTOL drones and features... ...st hybrid VTOL drone. With a 10 kilogram payload capacity, it is ideal for drone delivery operations...
SDO 50 Helicopter UAV

Versatile long-range autonomous helicopter drone

Versatile long-range autonomous helicopter drone
... with a flight endurance of over 3 hours and the ability to operate day or night in adverse weather...
M1200 Multirotor Drone

Long endurance large payload industrial drone

Long endurance large payload industrial drone
The M1200, designed for surveying and 3D mapping, has the capabilities to fly for over 70 minutes wi...
M690Pro Quadcopter

Long endurance multi-functional UAV

Long endurance multi-functional UAV
...e M690Pro is a long endurance quadcopter in a portable backpack design capable of flying up to 55...
Noa Hybrid – long-endurance hexacopter

Hybrid gas-electric drone with 175 min flight time

Hybrid gas-electric drone with 175 min flight time
...oa Hybrid is a long-endurance hexacopter drone with a hybrid gas-electric powertrain, enabling the...
DeltaQuad VTOL UAV

Fully-Electric Hybrid VTOL Fixed Wing UAV

Fully-Electric Hybrid VTOL Fixed Wing UAV
...fully electric UAVs is designed for high stability in both quadcopter and fixed wing mode,... ...... The DeltaQuad Pro VTOL UAV is available in the following models:

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Volatus Aerospace

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Altus LSA

Innovative Turnkey UAS Solutions for Mission-Critical Civilian & Defense Applications

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Textron Systems

World-Leading Multi-Mission Uncrewed Systems For Air, Land & Sea

Beyond Vision

Fully Autonomous Multirotor Drones & Hybrid VTOL UAVs With AI Capabilities

PteroDynamics

Autonomous Folding-Wing VTOL UAV for Long Range & Superior Endurance

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Customizable, Long-Range Fixed-Wing Drones - Twin-Wing Design Heavy Lifting Drones

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Commercial Heavy-Payload Drones for Heavy-Lift Cargo Transportation & Logistics

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