Report: UK tenders for hundreds of tactical multirotor drones
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has released an Invitation to Tender (ITT) seeking suppliers for approximately ten batches of Tactical Multirotor ISR Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), according to a contract notice.
The procurement is valued at £2,250,000 and follows a restricted procedure, with bids due by 1pm on 17 March 2025.
Each batch will include two complete systems, “including all ground elements (e.g. 2 systems = x2 ground elements),” as stated in the notice. “The Tactical Multirotor ISR UAV ITT aims to procure approximately 10 different batches of UAS…which will be tested by the International Drone Capability Coalition,” the document explains. Suppliers whose platforms meet all the requirements during testing may be considered for a further production contract of around 25 systems per month.
“The systems must be produced and dispatched for testing within 6 weeks of contract award,” notes the tender, underscoring the rapid turnaround expected of successful bidders. The MoD’s notice also advises, “Bidders are to ensure that their system meets all qualification questions & entry criteria prior to submitting their proposal.”
The contract is scheduled to start on 14 April 2025 and run until 26 May 2025. Although considered suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), it is not marked as suitable for voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs). Additional information, including links to the procurement documents, is provided in the official notice.
