Patria and Sweden-based ACC Innovation have signed a cooperation agreement to develop a military variant of the Thunder Wasp GT quadcopter drone for a NATO member country. The announcement marks the beginning of a new collaboration phase focused on adapting the drone for defense applications.
In the first phase, the companies will work on militarizing the Thunder Wasp GT, which has a maximum take-off weight of approximately 800 kilograms. The goal is to integrate defense-grade systems into the existing platform for broader operational utility.
"Patria's strong background in research and development provides a good foundation for bringing new intelligent features to drone systems. Patria has wide expertise in developing and integrating the capabilities required for military use into the chosen platforms to achieve the desired performance. We see that the militarization of such a completely new type of capability has several potential applications in today's constantly changing operational environment. We look forward to continuing our excellent cooperation with ACC Innovation,” commented Mikko Leino, Executive Vice President, Operations, Patria.
"We are proud to announce our collaboration with Patria, a partnership that represents a significant step forward in the development and deployment of advanced aerial platforms. Our expertise in high-performance quadcopter systems, combined with Patria's vast experience in defense innovation, will allow us to explore new frontiers in autonomous and heavy-lift aerial technologies. While the applications are wide-ranging, we remain committed to ensuring that our technologies are developed and deployed responsibly, with a clear focus on safety, reliability, and mission effectiveness,” said Max Drougge, CTO, ACC Innovation AB.
Patria has been investing in technologies supporting unmanned operations in demanding environments such as the Arctic. Their efforts span full mission capability, including planning, navigation, payload control, communication integrity, and mission analysis. The company offers platform-independent solutions tailored for military and security authorities.
