The British Army has successfully experimented with a drone swarm in a realistic military environment in a major step forward for the UK’s ability to deploy autonomous systems on the battlefield.

Phase 1 of the Software Defined Swarms Concept Demonstrator, which created the swarm, was delivered by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in partnership with Army HQ and industry and builds on joint activity within AUKUS Pillar 2. The demonstrator represents a significant advancement in the UK’s use of autonomous systems and supports the Army’s ambition to enhance combat effectiveness and maintain operational advantage.

Future battlefields will increasingly be shaped by autonomous technologies. The Army needs a clear understanding of how swarming drones can be used effectively, safely and at scale in support of forward deployed tasks such as Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.

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Bringing together expertise from across Dstl’s Land Systems and Autonomy Programme teams, Dstl delivered the UK’s first high technology readiness, collective control swarming drone demonstrations. Two industry-led options, one by BlueBear (a SAAB Company) and the other by the Disruptor Group (a consortium of UK companies led by Applied Intuition), were tested in realistic operational environments. These trials enabled the Army to judge their ability to complete representative battlefield tasks.

While the demonstrator used uncrewed aerial systems, the underlying technology could also be applicable to uncrewed ground vehicles or uncrewed surface vessels. By using appropriate open architectures, the system will remain flexible throughout its service life and be able to adapt rapidly to emerging technologies and evolving threats. Flexibility and speed of adaptation are crucial to maintaining operational effectiveness as lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine have shown.

The project combined more than a decade of Dstl research in AI, autonomy and swarming technology into a practical capability. The resulting Swarm Capability Test Bed (CTB) provides the Army with a versatile platform to experiment with future swarm concepts, helping accelerate innovation while reducing risk. It is now in the hands of British Army operators and is a focus for live flying by the Army’s Experimentation and Trials Group (ETG).

The Army has already completed 8 weeks of experimentation with the Swarm CTB, consisting of 8 uncrewed aerial vehicles, and has a number of other experiments, trials and field tests planned for 2026 to 2027 – helping shape future military capability and procurement decisions. 

Richard, Dstl’s Land Systems Programme Manager, said:

The team has demonstrated what true partnership can achieve, uniting technical excellence, operational insight, and strategic coherence to drive forward a capability that will fundamentally reshape future military advantage.

Brigadier Kieran Sheldon, Head Military Capability Plans, Directorate Capability and Force Design, Army Headquarters, said:

The partnership with Dstl to develop swarming technology has been hugely energising for all involved. Dstl has enabled, with industry, the Army to conduct extensive in field trials since May.

The technology for true swarms, groups of robots that are commanded as collaborative groups, has significant potential and due to the work of Dstland the industry teams, the Army is more informed and empowered to seize it.

This offers the opportunity to really accelerate the Army’s adoption of uncrewed, autonomous and swarming systems to increase fighting power through lower cost attritable and consumable systems that provide coordinated effect.

Dstl is part of the National Armaments Directorate of the Ministry of Defence. Find out more about Dstl’s work and opportunities to work with us.