AVILUS completes first flight of its Wespe cargo and medevac helicopter drone
AVILUS's new coaxial-rotor drone is built to carry up to 200 kg of cargo or casualties as far as 300 km with no crew aboard.
AVILUS's new coaxial-rotor drone is built to carry up to 200 kg of cargo or casualties as far as 300 km with no crew aboard.
German drone developer AVILUS said its Wespe helicopter drone made its maiden flight on June 1, per the defense outlet hartpunkt. The first prototype, designated 9Y-01, hovered and flew controlled forward and lateral movements, the company said. That came nearly a year after AVILUS first showed the design at the Bundeswehr open day in Diez in late June 2025.
Wespe is a coaxial-rotor design with no tail rotor, built for divisional logistics and casualty evacuation rather than strike. The piston version has a 650 kg maximum takeoff weight, a 200 kg payload and a 300 km range at a 120 km/h cruise, per AVILUS figures detailed by FlightGlobal and Militarnyi. A turbine variant lifts 350 kg at 900 kg maximum takeoff weight. With its landing gear retracted the aircraft packs into a standard 20-foot container, and it carries AVILUS's RasCore avionics, which the company says resist electronic jamming. Sensors and self-protection come from Germany's Hensoldt.
Reuters wrote on May 28 that Ukrainian units are concentrating "middle strike" drones on Russian logistics and air defense between 30 and 180 km behind the front, and the Institute for the Study of War tied that campaign to Russia's first net loss of controlled territory since August 2024. That is the band where a crewed Mi-8 flying ammunition or wounded would be most exposed. AVILUS markets Wespe for those conditions; FlightGlobal quoted the company describing its new drones as engineered for domains "where type-certified drones or manned aviation would be too costly or too risky to deploy."
AVILUS also pitches Wespe as ITAR-free and cleared under the EASA Specific Category, a selling point for European buyers as Berlin and its neighbors rearm. Its battery-powered sister drone, the Grille casualty-evacuation system, is further along, with five units under construction for Bundeswehr trials in 2026, the trade outlet Uncrewed Systems noted.
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Subscribe Free →AVILUS has said its next steps are to widen Wespe's flight envelope and integrate mission-control functions, according to hartpunkt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AVILUS Wespe?
A coaxial-rotor helicopter drone from the German developer AVILUS, built for divisional logistics and casualty evacuation. It has no tail rotor and is designed to fly without a crew aboard.
When did the Wespe make its first flight?
AVILUS said the first prototype, designated 9Y-01, flew on June 1, 2026, hovering and flying controlled forward and lateral movements, according to the defense outlet hartpunkt.
How much can it carry, and how far?
The piston version has a 650 kg maximum takeoff weight, a 200 kg payload and a 300 km range at a 120 km/h cruise, per AVILUS figures reported by FlightGlobal and Militarnyi. A turbine variant lifts 350 kg at a 900 kg maximum takeoff weight.
Why does an uncrewed cargo helicopter matter for Ukraine?
Reuters reported that Ukrainian units are striking Russian logistics 30 to 180 km behind the front, the band where a crewed Mi-8 flying supplies or wounded would be most exposed. A drone that can be written off and navigates without GPS is a hedge against that risk.
Is the Wespe in service with the Bundeswehr?
Not yet. AVILUS says its next steps are to widen the flight envelope and integrate mission-control functions. Its battery-powered sister drone, the Grille, is further along, with five units under construction for Bundeswehr trials in 2026, per Uncrewed Systems.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.