Airbus networked intelligence: Shaping the future of autonomous UAV missions

During the 2026 ILA Berlin Air Show, two Primoco uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) took to the skies to conduct two live autonomous missions. The true spectacle was, however, not the hardware soaring above, but the groundbreaking intelligence operating within them. As the public address announcements echoed across the airfield: "Don't just watch it fly... watch it think!"

The demonstration marked the first time a collaborative, autonomous flight of uncrewed assets has been performed live at a major public trade show in Europe. The intelligence powering this historic flight was Airbus’ AI-enriched Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) Autonomy suite of applications. “We are moving away from machines that we simply 'drive,' and moving toward systems that can actually think and work together,” says Thomas Schmitt, Programme & Product Manager Crewed-Uncrewed Teaming & Autonomy, Airbus Defence and Space.
 
 

Changing the game: from individual drivers to one single team

Operating a drone requires constant, exhaustive attention. Each  aircraft requires its own dedicated operator to steer the platform, control the payload and monitor the flight screen. While modern UAVs can recognise objects using AI, human operators traditionally remain central to tactical flight management.

Airbus is transforming this dynamic by introducing a software-defined defence approach that provides the networked intelligence required for autonomous teaming. Instead of standalone platforms operating under separate instructions from multiple pilots, a group of drones can now share a single, distributed intelligence. Much like the automotive sector now views vehicles as digital platforms rather than mere mechanics and hardware, the aerospace and defence industry is pioneering flying computers to redefine information superiority.

“Imagine a group of drones working like a professional football team,” explains Schmitt. “A football team doesn't need a coach to tell every player exactly where to move their feet every second; the players understand the goal, they play and work together to achieve it. With our system, we don't have several drones with several brains; we have one single brain controlling multiple drones. Because they share one 'mind,' they are perfectly in sync. If one drone sees something, the others instantly know. Once they know the rules and they know the task, everything else can be done by themselves."

The successful live demonstration at ILA proves that this technology is ready for the field. During the flight, the UAVs conducted two missions autonomously: teamed multi-role surveillance and teamed surveillance for accelerated speed. These scalable operations can expand to include more UAVs and roles, such as engagement, coordinated under a single mission manager to significantly enhance operational efficiency. 

Initial operational deployment of the Airbus solution on the Primoco One 150 UAVs is scheduled for 2026. Furthermore, the software's system-agnostic design means it can easily be integrated into any proprietary or third-party crewed or uncrewed platform.

First live mission demonstration of collaborative autonomy at ILA Airshow (above). The mission control station scenario viewer (below) shows autonomous, teamed multi-role surveillance with sequential detection and identification.

Reducing workload under meaningful human control

By shifting the heavy cognitive load of flight guidance and basic tactical coordination to the AI-enriched software, the UAV operator's role is entirely transformed. The operators are no longer fatigued remote pilots constantly monitoring a flight screen; they become a high-level mission manager. 

This advanced autonomy ensures that human operators maintain 'meaningful human control' at all times. 

“Guided by the rules of engagement, we maintain a clear hierarchy of control,” states Schmitt. The system handles non-critical operations autonomously, with the operator maintaining constant oversight and intervention capabilities. However, for all critical decisions, the human remains firmly in the loop: the system provides the necessary intelligence and proposals, but the operator must provide the final authorisation. This structure ensures that human judgment always dictates the most sensitive aspects of the mission.

Army drone operators working on the front line often wear first-person view (FPV) goggles and work gruelling, high-stress shifts.

 Autonomous capabilities in action

The MARS Autonomy suite provides a robust cluster of operational capabilities designed for complex environments:

• Multi-platform mission planning: Automated task allocation and route planning.
• Mission management: Real-time task execution and dynamic replanning.
• Data distribution: Automatic target recognition (ATR), data fusion and live video streaming.
• Flight management: Automated manoeuvring, route following and collision avoidance.

“In a real operation, the command from the operator is simple”, continues Schmitt. “For example: ‘Find all surface-to-air missile systems in the defined area, provide coordinates of their location and a video.’” The Airbus system then distributes the tasks across the networked platforms autonomously. This capability enables both Crewed-Uncrewed Teaming and Uncrewed-Uncrewed Teaming. Operators can deploy this suite to support diverse use cases, including collaborative intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), hostile air defence suppression and autonomous cargo logistics.

The two Primoco One 150 UAVs: ready to work together thanks to Airbus’ autonomous and teaming solution.

A mission system similar to a smartphone

The MARS Autonomy suite is a core component of the broader MARS Mission System family. This modular, open-architecture solution defines how aircraft operate, adapt and fight together. Built on a software-defined defence approach, it enables continuous improvement and rapid adaptation to emerging threats through software updates. Airbus calls this process software-defined evolution.

Through this framework, an aircraft becomes a carrier of evolving combat capabilities. This allows the system to remain relevant against changing threats rather than becoming outdated. This system architecture functions similarly to a smartphone, where applications from different suppliers can be integrated to meet specific operational needs.

Airbus U760 Ravenstorm mock-up

A cornerstone for future European sovereignty

The system-agnostic MARS Mission System serves as the backbone of Airbus’ Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) portfolio strategy.

A premier application of this strategy will be the integration of the mission system on the Airbus U740 Valkyrie by 2029, offering a European, sovereignly-controlled solution that teams seamlessly with the Eurofighter. This will be followed by the fully sovereign Airbus U760 Ravenstorm by 2032.