Hanwha, Schiebel begin battlefield drone push

Hanwha Systems, the defense arm of Hanwha Group, said Tuesday it held a kickoff meeting with Austrian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) maker Schiebel as part of their efforts to tap the global UAV export market.

The meeting came after the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding in Austria in May to develop an airborne communications UAV.

The partnership is aimed at gaining a foothold in the global UAV communications market by combining Hanwha Systems' high-performance communications and avionics systems with Schiebel's proven UAV platforms, the company said in a press release.

"We will not only take the lead in the next-generation UAV market by strengthening our partnership with Schiebel, but also explore opportunities to expand the adoption of our systems in domestic and overseas markets," a company representative said.

An airborne communications UAV is an advanced unmanned aircraft equipped with a 5G base station, airborne relay communications equipment and related avionics to provide seamless tactical communication links across a wide range of battlefield environments.

Yonhap