MBDA has announced an investment in Hybrid Drones Ltd, a British small and medium-sized enterprise developing the Hydra 400, a hybrid jet-electric uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV). The move marks one of MBDA’s first equity engagements with a UK SME and aligns with broader efforts to deepen industrial partnerships under the UK’s defence industrial strategy.
The investment grants MBDA shareholder status and aims to foster integration of MBDA’s effector systems with the Hydra platform. It also reflects growing collaboration between established defence primes and smaller technology-driven firms within the UK’s defence innovation landscape.
The Hydra 400 is a modular heavy-lift UAV designed to support a range of missions including cargo transport, casualty evacuation, and weapons deployment. The drone employs a hybrid propulsion system combining electric rotors and jet turbines, offering flexibility in operational configurations. It can be deployed rapidly, transported by standard vehicles, and assembled within minutes. Hydra can be configured in fully electric mode or as a hybrid with up to six jet turbines.
The partnership between MBDA and Hybrid Drones was initially established through the British Army’s Warfighting Experiment programme, which serves as a testbed for emerging military technologies.
MBDA’s UK Sales and Business Development Director, Suzanne Jude, described the investment as a natural extension of ongoing collaboration. “By supporting agile SMEs like Hybrid Drones Ltd, we are contributing to the development of sovereign capabilities and reinforcing the broader defence ecosystem,” she noted.
Hybrid Drones Ltd CEO, Dr Stephen Prior, stated that the investment supports both product development and workforce stability. “This step enables us to continue advancing the Hydra UAV while maintaining our UK-based high-skilled team,” he said. “We intend to make Hydra a preferred solution not only in defence but also in wider sectors.”