UK helicopter control drones in flight in first hybrid warfare trial

The UK Royal Navy has successfully converted a Wildcat helicopter into an airborne command center capable of receiving and managing live data from multiple drones during flight. In trials conducted at Predannack airfield on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula, the Wildcat crew used real-time information from two surveillance drones—a Puma operated by the Royal Navy’s 700x Naval Air Squadron and a smaller Providence drone from UAV Aerosystems—to locate and track a moving vehicle. This data was shared instantly over a decentralized multi-node mesh network, allowing the helicopter to operate beyond line of sight and over the horizon, enhancing situational awareness and battlefield coordination. The Eagles Eye initiative demonstrated the integration of crewed aircraft, uncrewed systems, and ground sensors into a resilient network that can automatically reroute data if parts of the network are disrupted, ensuring continuous communication. Lt. Cmdr. Rhydian Edwards highlighted that this modular, survivable system leverages lessons from the war in Ukraine, improving interoperability and enabling instant connection of sensors and