Breaking News
Germany Unveils New Hildegard Jet-Powered Drone for High-Speed Autonomous Precision Strikes.
At Enforce Tac 2026 in Nuremberg, German defense firm Dronivo GmbH unveiled the Hildegard, a jet-powered autonomous fixed-wing UAV built for precision missions in contested environments. The system signals Europe’s growing investment in compact, high-speed unmanned platforms that emphasize tactical responsiveness over endurance-focused surveillance.
At Enforce Tac 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany, Dronivo GmbH introduced the Hildegard, a next‑generation autonomous jet‑powered unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designed for precision defense missions. Engineered for speed, agility, and structural durability, the Hildegard represents a shift toward compact, high‑performance fixed‑wing designs optimized for tactical effectiveness rather than long‑endurance surveillance alone. Its debut underscores Dronivo’s focus on advancing responsive aerial capabilities tailored to modern defense requirements, aligning with Enforce Tac’s emphasis on mission‑ready technologies for government and military professionals.
German defense firm Dronivo GmbH unveiled the Hildegard, a jet-powered autonomous fixed-wing UAV designed for high-speed precision missions in contested environments, at Enforce Tac 2026 in Nuremberg (Picture Source: Army Recognition Group)
Dronivo GmbH, a German defense technology company, has introduced the Hildegard, a jet‑powered fixed‑wing unmanned aerial vehicle engineered for precision missions in complex threat environments. According to the company, the platform integrates extended range, advanced autonomous navigation, and cost‑efficient manufacturability, reflecting a design philosophy that balances high flight performance with scalability and dependable field deployment. This integration is particularly noteworthy as it bridges the gap between operational capability and the logistical realities of maintaining unmanned fleets under demanding defense conditions.
According to specifications released by Dronivo GmbH, the Hildegard is a compact, jet‑powered air vehicle measuring 1.95 meters in length with a 1.35‑meter wingspan. The system features an approximate maximum take‑off weight of 16 to 20 kilograms and a dry weight of around 10 kilograms without fuel, placing it firmly within the lightweight UAV category while retaining a high‑performance propulsion profile. Dronivo reports a top speed of up to 500 km/h, delivered by a turbine engine rated at 22 newtons of thrust and producing 53.8 kilowatts of power, supported by a fuel capacity of 3 to 6 liters of kerosene. The platform’s specified jet exhaust velocity of 1,760 km/h reflects a high-energy propulsion flow consistent with sustained thrust generation, while its structural load tolerance of up to 10 g points to an airframe designed to withstand significant aerodynamic and inertial stresses. Together, these parameters suggest a composite structure and flight-control architecture configured to preserve stability, control authority, and structural integrity during high-demand flight regimes, including rapid attitude changes and aggressive maneuver profiles.
Dronivo GmbH’s Hildegard airframe embodies key aerodynamic principles observed in modern military UAV design, emphasizing speed, efficiency, and operational precision. The jet‑powered platform features a sleek, streamlined form with an elongated nose and a smoothly blended fuselage‑to‑wing transition that minimizes drag and enhances stability at high speeds. Its matte military green finish conveys its tactical focus, while the outward-canted twin vertical stabilizers contribute to improved control responsiveness and overall aerodynamic balance. This configuration, often associated with low‑observability and high‑maneuverability airframes, underscores Dronivo’s intent to merge agility with a refined radar signature. Collectively, these design elements position the Hildegard as a lightweight precision‑strike UAV concept shaped by advanced aerodynamic optimization and aligned with contemporary trends in defense‑oriented drone development.
A key design element is the full composite CFRP/CFRP hybrid structure. In military aviation engineering terms, extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced polymer can improve the stiffness to weight ratio, structural resilience, and manufacturing repeatability. For an unmanned platform intended for precision defense missions, these characteristics matter because airframe rigidity and dimensional consistency directly influence flight stability, navigation accuracy, and predictable aerodynamic behavior at speed. Combined with the jet propulsion architecture, Hildegard appears oriented toward rapid ingress profiles and controlled high-speed mission execution rather than the slow flight persistence associated with many propeller-driven tactical UAVs.
From an operator and procurement perspective, the next evaluation points for a platform such as Hildegard will likely concern mission system integration rather than airframe performance alone. Based on the company information provided, Dronivo has emphasized speed, controllability, autonomy, and manufacturability, but operational users will also assess payload options, command and control architecture, datalink resilience, navigation performance in contested electromagnetic environments, and the launch and recovery concept. These factors are decisive because they determine how effectively a high-speed UAV can be integrated into existing ISR strike workflows, force protection missions, or time-sensitive targeting chains. In practical terms, the platform’s military value will depend not only on aerodynamic and propulsion performance, but also on how reliably it can be tasked, controlled, and sustained under operational conditions.
The significance of Hildegard lies in its convergence of compact dimensions, high dash speed, autonomous navigation, and cost‑efficient manufacturability. A UAV of this class offers distinct advantages in operations where rapid response, precise flight path execution, and minimal time‑to‑target are critical, such as quick penetration, agile repositioning, or synchronized strike missions. On a broader strategic level, Dronivo’s focus on scalable and economical production aligns with a growing European defense trend toward mission‑specific unmanned systems designed to balance performance with affordability, maintainability, and fleet resilience during sustained operations. Within this evolving framework, Hildegard emerges as a fast, tactically agile platform optimized for precision engagements and adaptable deployment across modern defense environments.
With the unveiling of Hildegard at Enforce Tac 2026, Dronivo GmbH has presented a compact jet-powered fixed-wing UAS concept centered on aerodynamic efficiency, composite structural resilience, autonomous navigation, and high-speed precision operations. Based on the company information provided, the platform stands out for combining a 500 km/h class performance profile with a lightweight composite design and a manufacturing approach aimed at reliable deployment in complex threat scenarios. The broader message from this presentation is that defense unmanned systems are increasingly evaluated not only by raw speed or range, but by how effectively they combine controllability, survivability-oriented design choices, and scalable production in a single operational package.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.