JAKARTA \u2014 Spain, Germany and Belgium are accelerating development of\nan in-flight refuelling technology for unmanned aircraft that could\nextend the operational range of European military drones. Through a\njoint European Defence Agency (EDA) project, the three countries aim to\ncreate a system that would allow several drones to receive fuel\nautomatically from a tanker aircraft without returning to base.<\/p>\n
The EDA announced on 9 October 2026 that the three countries had\nagreed the previous day to take the project into its second phase. The\nnew development stage is expected to require \u20ac8 million (Rp162.14\nbillion) and aims to overcome the technological obstacles to automatic\nrefuelling of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).<\/p>\n
The initiative comes as European countries increasingly rely on\nunmanned systems to strengthen reconnaissance, surveillance and\nlong-range military operations. If made operational, in-flight\nrefuelling could allow drones to remain airborne for longer and expand\nthe areas in which they can operate without landing to refuel.<\/p>\n
The announcement does not mean that European combat drones have\nalready successfully refuelled automatically in the air. The EDA\ndescribes the second phase as research, development and testing intended\nto pave the way for future refuelling between unmanned aircraft.<\/p>\n
Spain leads as Germany and Belgium expand\ndevelopment<\/strong><\/p>\n The three-country collaboration builds on a project first launched by\nSpain and Germany in December 2022. At the time, the EDA began research\ninto automated refuelling using a hose-and-drogue system, in which fuel\nis delivered through a flexible hose fitted with a basket-shaped device\nat its end.<\/p>\n The first phase had a budget of \u20ac4 million and was initially planned\nto run for two years. The research involved defence companies and\nresearch institutions from Spain and Germany, working on tracking\ntechnology, control systems and automation of the refuelling\nprocess.<\/p>\n The initial research laid the groundwork for expanding the programme.\nBelgium joined for the second phase, bringing the project to three\nEuropean countries, with the EDA providing coordination.<\/p>\n The EDA said Spain would continue to lead the project, Germany would\nmaintain its technological support, and Belgium would increase industry\nand research participation. The division of responsibilities is intended\nto advance the technology\u2019s maturity and strengthen Europe\u2019s defence\nindustry capabilities.<\/p>\n The second-phase consortium includes Airbus Defence and Space and GMV\nfrom Spain. German participants include Airbus Defence and Space, the\nGerman Aerospace Center (DLR) and AES Technology.<\/p>\n Belgium is participating through the company ScioTeq and the Von\nKarman Institute. The involvement of these organisations reflects the\nneed to combine expertise in aircraft, sensors, communications, software\nand aeronautical research.<\/p>\n For Spain, developing the technology also aligns with its national\ndefence agenda. The EDA said Spain\u2019s 2026 Defence Technology and\nInnovation Strategy identifies in-flight refuelling as a priority\narea.<\/p>\n The EDA is acting as the contracting authority, supporting\ncoordination between countries, the definition of technical requirements\nand project risk management. It has not announced any decision to\nprocure a drone fleet or the value of any aircraft purchase contract\nunder the programme.<\/p>\n Building on trials involving German Tornados and Spanish\nF-18s<\/strong><\/p>\n The latest development builds on research and testing carried out\nduring the first phase. The EDA said the earlier work demonstrated that\nautomating several in-flight refuelling functions was technically\nfeasible.<\/p>\n The first-phase trials used an Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker\nTransport (A330 MRTT) tanker, German Tornado fighter jets and Spanish\nF-18s. The aircraft were used to develop and assess the automation\ntechnologies required for in-flight refuelling.<\/p>\n One key achievement was the development of a camera-based tracking\nsystem to determine the positions of the refuelling basket and the\nreceiving aircraft. The technology enables control systems to identify\nthe relative positions of objects moving continuously in flight.<\/p>\n The research also covered methods for stabilising the refuelling\nbasket, or drogue. Its stability is critical because the hose can move\nin the airflow and as the tanker changes position.<\/p>\n The findings indicate that some functions previously requiring direct\nhuman observation and correction could potentially be assisted or\nperformed automatically. However, this does not amount to a drone\nsuccessfully receiving fuel from a tanker without pilot involvement.<\/p>\n That distinction is the central challenge of the second phase. An\nunmanned receiving aircraft must accurately determine its position and\nmovement, maintain formation and manoeuvre towards the refuelling\nequipment with a high level of safety.<\/p>",
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