VTOL drone demonstrates submarine tracking capabilities for Royal Navy

April 15, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

Certo Aerospace has demonstrated a new anti-submarine warfare capability for the Royal Navy, using its CAPSTONE vertical take-off and landing uncrewed air system (VTOL UAS) in a flight test at Keevil Airfield.

The company showcased its CAPSTONE vertical take-off and landing uncrewed air system as part of the navy’s ATLANTIC BASTION technology demonstration program, highlighting its ability to detect, locate and track underwater threats using deployable sonobuoys.

During the trial, Certo, working alongside General Dynamics Mission Systems (UK), demonstrated that the 600 kg-class CAPSTONE platform can carry a mixed payload of sonobuoys for more than two hours.

The aircraft was also fitted with the UYS-506 acoustic processor, enabling real-time analysis of underwater acoustic data.

Processed sonobuoy data was successfully transmitted from the aircraft to its ground control station and then routed for visualization, providing operators with a detailed underwater picture, including target location and tracking information. Synthetic sonobuoy data used during the test was supplied by QinetiQ, leveraging systems already in use with the Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopter fleet.

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Equipment & technology

In a further demonstration of operational flexibility, the trial included transatlantic command and control of the acoustic processing system, with data transmitted via Starlink satellite communications, underscoring the potential for distributed, long-range ASW operations.

Justin Tooth, Chief Executive of Certo Aerospace and a former Royal Navy Lynx pilot, said the demonstration marked a key milestone for the company’s technology. He noted that integrating CAPSTONE into future naval operations could enhance effectiveness while reducing both costs and risks to personnel.

“This flight test showed that we can provide a vital new component into the Navy’s planned mix of crewed and uncrewed air systems for delivery of the ASW capabilities of the future,” Tooth said.

“The big advantages of Capstone’s coaxial rotor system and modular payload system are that this aircraft can operate from single-spot naval ships in real-world maritime conditions, while carrying operationally significant payloads out to useful ranges.”

Captain Christopher Hill, director of the BASTION ASW programme, said the demonstration exceeded expectations and provided valuable insight into emerging ASW aviation technologies.

He emphasized the importance of automation and rapid capability delivery as the Royal Navy develops its broader “Hybrid Navy” concept, combining crewed and uncrewed systems.