MBDA invests in Hybrid Drones to develop Hydra 400 heavy-lift UAV

European defence company MBDA is joining the British unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specialist Hybrid Drones to secure the further development of the Hydra 400 heavy-lift UAV. As Hybrid Drones announced on 29 April 2025, the investment follows a British defence industry strategy in which large defence companies work together with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The investment will see MBDA become a shareholder in Hybrid Drones, bringing together the proven innovations of the UAV manufacturer and MBDA in an effective partnership to integrate MBDA effectors and demonstrate its commitment to supporting national cutting-edge defence technologies.

The Hydra 400 is a new-generation heavy-lift UAV that uses a combination of electric rotors and jet turbines for lift and propulsion. The compact and portable UAV can be transported on the back of a flatbed truck and made ready for flight in just a few minutes. The Hydra 400 can be configured as an all-electric system or as a hybrid system with two, four or six jet nozzles, with the payload capacity increasing with each additional pair of jet nozzles. With its maximum payload of 400 kg Hydra 400 has a range of up to 25 km.

The Hydra 400 uses artificial intelligence (AI) sensors to operate in environments where no global navigation satellite system (GNSS) is available. The aircraft, which can autonomously transport and drop cargo, weapons and ammunition, can also be equipped to bring medical suppplies to injured military personnel on the battlefield.

The multicopter has 360° day and night vision and can recognise and track static and moving objects within a radius of 2 km. Its autonomous and intelligent sense-and-avoid system selects the best route to avoid high-speed objects on a collision course.

The Hydra 400 can also compensate for unforeseen situations such as weather changes, fuel shortages or changes in destination. It can recognise pick-up and drop-off areas and drop off its cargo without human assistance while interacting safely with other aircraft in the vicinity. The multicopter utilises deep neural networks and learns from experience (it learns more the more often it flies), which increases the system’s competence. Thanks to its compact design, especially when folded, three Hydra 400s can be easily accommodated in the British Army’s new Boxer multirole armoured vehicle.