Jakarta, INTI – Defense technology continues to evolve, and Indonesia once again serves as a stage for cutting-edge innovations. At the Indo Defence Expo & Forum 2025, Airbus Defence unveiled one of its flagship products: a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) called Flexrotor, which is now officially offered to the Indonesian market.
This move underscores Airbus’s commitment to expanding its drone market presence in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in Indonesia, which is seen as a highly promising market for both military and civilian unmanned aerial systems.
Unique Design, Built for Extreme Conditions
Vincent Dubrule, Head of Region Asia-Pacific at Airbus Helicopters, explained that Flexrotor is Airbus’s newest UAV and a key highlight at Indonesia’s largest defense exhibition. “This UAV is entirely new and is our main highlight at this year’s Indo Defence,” said Vincent during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday (June 10, 2025).
Flexrotor features an innovative design, taking off vertically from an upright position on its tail. Once airborne, the drone automatically transitions into horizontal flight mode. Upon landing, it returns to its vertical position, allowing for operation in areas as small as 4x4 meters—or under 15 square meters.
Proven Endurance and 100-Kilometer Range
With a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 25 kilograms, Flexrotor can fly for up to 14 continuous hours in a single mission, covering distances of up to 100 kilometers using a radio communication network. While it is not visually controlled directly, its ground-based monitoring system enables effective long-range surveillance.
The UAV has also undergone extensive testing in various extreme environments, amassing over 3,000 operational flight hours. This performance proves that Flexrotor is ready for a range of missions from military operations to emergency response monitoring.
Ideal for Both Land and Maritime Operations
One of Flexrotor’s key advantages is its ability to autonomously take off and land on both land and sea. Requiring only a 3.7 x 3.7-meter launch area, it is exceptionally well-suited for deployment on ships, remote regions, or limited-space environments.
Equipped with electro-optical sensors and other advanced monitoring technologies, Flexrotor’s sensor head is also modular and can be customized according to specific user needs making it a highly flexible and adaptable solution.
Broad Mission Capabilities: From Defense to Fire Monitoring
Although designed with defense applications in mind, Flexrotor is also suitable for parapublic missions such as forest fire surveillance. It can capture aerial imagery during both day and night, aiding firefighters in disaster response efforts.
Beyond that, the drone can support other demanding missions, including border patrol, law enforcement, and ice navigation in polar regions to assist naval vessels.
Global Collaboration, Local Focus
Flexrotor is the result of Airbus’s acquisition of Drone Forge, an aerospace startup based in Australia. As part of its development, Airbus and Drone Forge signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to collaborate on the integration and global deployment of this UAV system.
“We’re ready to promote this product worldwide, including in Indonesia. We firmly believe there will be strong demand,” Vincent stated.
Conclusion
With the launch of Flexrotor, Airbus reinforces its commitment to delivering advanced, efficient, and adaptable UAV solutions. Not limited to military use, Flexrotor opens up vast opportunities across multiple strategic sectors, making it one of the most promising UAV technologies showcased at Indo Defence Expo 2025.
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