DEFEA 2025: Greek Company ALTUS Introduces ATLAS 8 UAV Capable of Combat and Support Missions.

From May 6 to 8, 2025, Greek firm ALTUS Land Sea Air showcased its ATLAS 8 heavy-lift unmanned aerial system at the DEFEA 2025 defense exhibition in Athens. Designed to meet the growing military demand for flexible and autonomous cargo transport platforms, the ATLAS 8 stands out for its GNSS-denied navigation capabilities and high payload capacity, making it relevant for contested battlefield environments such as Ukraine. By merging dual-use technologies with military-grade resilience, ALTUS aims to position the ATLAS 8 within NATO’s logistics and ISR modernization initiatives. The unveiling highlights Europe’s increasing interest in combat-support drones able to withstand electronic warfare and deliver essential supplies to the front lines.
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The ATLAS 8 is a multi-mission octacopter drone developed to address the emerging needs of military and civilian users requiring autonomous transport of small cargo, including weapons, equipment, medical supplies, and ISR payloads. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The ATLAS 8 is a multi-mission octacopter drone developed to address the emerging needs of military and civilian users requiring autonomous transport of small cargo, including weapons, equipment, medical supplies, and ISR payloads, across both contested and last-mile scenarios. The system comes in two versions: a fully electric variant and a hybrid model currently in development, the latter combining 8 electric motors with an internal combustion engine for extended endurance and higher payloads. The electric version supports up to 60 kg of cargo for up to 35 minutes, while the hybrid is expected to reach 100 kg payloads with 3–4 hours of flight time. Both models can operate in GPS-denied environments using an onboard Inertial Navigation System (INS) and secure AES-256-encrypted RF links.

Initiated as an evolution of ALTUS’s UAV family, the ATLAS 8 integrates battlefield insights and operational needs from ongoing conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine, where reliable, autonomous logistics in degraded GPS conditions has become a pressing tactical challenge. Its modular architecture enables mid-air deployment of passive or active cargo, making it suitable for resupply, ISR, and even weaponized missions. The system offers optional parachute recovery, night flying capability, and supports diverse payloads such as EO/IR sensors, LiDAR, IMSI catchers, and custom-built transport boxes or drop nets for field operations. These features render it a potent force multiplier in electronic warfare zones, logistical corridors under fire, or dispersed special operations.

Strategically, the Atlas 8 responds to a broader European and NATO shift toward integrating tactical drones into ground force structures, especially in logistics automation and sensor fusion. At Euronaval 2024, this trend was illustrated at the ALTUS stand, where a weaponized octocopter named Kerveros, developed in cooperation with MBDA, was exhibited. Kerveros is the designation given to the Atlas 8 VTOL UAS when equipped with two Akeron MP anti-tank missiles from MBDA. The Paris naval exhibition allowed ALTUS not only to unveil the most recent product developed by the Crete-based company, the Atlas 8 heavy-lifter octocopter, but also to demonstrate its growing defense applications through its partnership with the European missile company.

The ATLAS 8 stands in conceptual proximity to emerging British systems reportedly under development, which aim to mount guided missiles or anti-tank weapons on quadcopters for close air support roles. Among these, the Jackal VTOL drone by Flyby Technology integrates Thales UK's Martlet missiles, while the Hydra 400 jet-powered drone is designed to carry up to three Brimstone laser-guided missiles, both still in early prototype phases. However, unlike such weaponized UAS concepts, the Atlas 8 prioritizes payload versatility, autonomy, and survivability under jamming threats, core attributes in today’s drone-saturated conflicts. No official procurement contract has been disclosed yet, but the system is marketed with both military and civil operators in mind, including law enforcement, border patrol, and disaster response.

ALTUS’s ATLAS 8 positions itself as a Greek-made solution to the modern battlefield’s logistics and surveillance demands, blending payload flexibility, endurance, and GNSS-denied autonomy. Its appearance at DEFEA 2025 underscores the growing importance of heavy-lift unmanned platforms in shaping 21st-century military supply chains and ISR doctrine, especially in environments where GPS denial, rapid mobility, and cost-effective resupply operations define tactical success.