Lithuanian drone innovator Granta Autonomy unveiled its new X-Wing loitering munition on 18 September 2025.
The X-Wing combines the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) of a quadcopter with the efficient, fixed-wing flight of an aeroplane, giving it a range of up to 50 km. Designed to provide front-line units with a portable, modular, and easy-to-deploy system for precision strike missions, the 12 kg X-Wing was developed by Granta Autonomy to meet the demand for loitering munitions that infantry units can deploy without specialised launch equipment.
Designed to be a ‘shooter’ to Granta’s ‘sensor’ Hornet reconnaissance drone, the X-Wing also uses artificial intelligence (AI) for autonomous flight, even when GNSS signals are unavailable or spoofed.
The X Wing system integrates Granta Autonomy’s robust micro gimbal systems, which the company originally developed when it could not such a solution on the market. These feature powerful cameras that capture clear daytime images from long distances and provide thermal vision for nighttime operations. Granta’s Hornet Digital Data Link solution, meanwhile, ensures compatibility with most ground control station software, and an AI-based targeting system can help guide the X-Wing to heavily camouflaged targets.
The X-Wing carries a 4 kg hybrid warhead, which was chosen for its versatility. It can penetrate heavily armoured vehicles while also producing a large number of fragments, making the X-Wing also effective against softer targets like radars and anti-aircraft systems.
Gediminas Guoba, CEO and founder of Granta Autonomy, was quoted in a company press release as saying, “The X-Wing is a direct result of our battlefield-tested philosophy. We’ve taken the lessons learned from providing thousands of drones to the front lines in Ukraine and used that invaluable experience to create a sister system to our Hornet XR recon drone that is ideally suited for modern combat. The X-Wing unique VTOL/fixed-wing design gives it the tactical flexibility that units need, while its AI-powered autonomy and robust data systems ensure mission success in the most challenging electronic warfare environments.
“Like all Granta products, X-Wing, from the first sketch, was designed for highly scalable manufacturing, allowing the UAV to be produced in thousands per month,” Guoba added.
