British Royal Navy celebrates HCMC drone's successful landing on HMS Prince of Wales.

On September 8, 2023, the British Royal Navy announced on Twitter that a twin-engine transport drone had successfully landed on the deck of the HMS Prince of Wales. The drone, known as HCMC, was developed by W Autonomous Systems and Distributed Avionics and is part of the Royal Navy's efforts to integrate drone technology into its logistical operations.
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HCMC drone was launched from an airfield at Predannack, located near the southwest coast of Cornwall. (Picture source: W Autonomous Systems)

The HCMC drone was launched from an airfield at Predannack, located near the southwest coast of Cornwall. It flew for approximately 20 minutes before successfully landing on the deck of the HMS Prince of Wales. After unloading a small payload, the drone returned to its starting point.

The HCMC drone is a twin-engine transport drone designed for logistical applications. It has a payload capacity of up to 100 kilograms (220 pounds) and a maximum range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles). The incorporation of an advanced autopilot system allows it to operate autonomously, making it ideal for missions where human risk needs to be minimized.

The Royal Navy stated that the program aims to integrate drones into the UK's Carrier Strike Groups for future operations. The drones would be responsible for transferring various supplies, such as mail and spare parts, between ships, thereby eliminating the need for helicopter launches.

While this is not the first time a drone has operated from the HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy indicated that this trial is in a "different league" compared to previous tests, which involved smaller drones like quadcopters and the Banshee target drone.

The Royal Navy is also involved in other drone-related projects, including a collaboration with Leonardo to develop an unmanned helicopter demonstrator and the acquisition of Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 for surveillance missions.