A reusable vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft – the V-Raven – was launched by aerospace and defence technology company Paramount at the Africa Aerospace & Defence (AAD) expo on September 18.

The V-Raven is designed to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and light attack capability in demanding operational environments. The development comes as African armed forces face increasingly complex security challenges across vast and often difficult-to-access areas that are usually widely dispersed, says Paramount in a statement. The V-Raven’s capability enables it to stay on station longer.

With the V-Raven, Paramount has progressed from the original catapult-launched concept of the N-Raven, towards a returnable VTOL aircraft family capable of operating from dispersed locations without a runway, catapult or fixed launch infrastructure.

Unlike expendable loitering munitions, The V-Raven takes off vertically, conducts its assigned mission and returns to land for future use.

The ISR configuration is equipped with an electro-optical sensor system providing day-and-night surveillance and target acquisition capability.

The platform supports automatic target tracking and can accommodate multiple electro-optical and infrared sensor options, as demanded by mission requirements.

The V-Raven platform’s ISR configuration is intended for surveillance and reconnaissance, while a separate ISR and light-attack configuration is planned to integrate precision-guided glide munitions for selected targets. The light-attack configuration displayed at AAD 2026 illustrates the planned integration of precision-guided weapons.

Paramount Group plans to mature this capability through a phased programme of systems integration, ground testing and flight trials, enabling the platform and its mission systems to be progressively developed and validated.

The V-Raven is available with either a petrol-powered engine or electric motor package. The petrol-powered V-Raven offers up to eight hours of endurance, a range of up to 1 200 km and a cruise speed of about 140 km/h.

Its communication’s range with a ground station is up to 150 km. The electric configuration provides up to two hours of endurance and a range of up to 250 km.

The aircraft has a wingspan of 3.6 m, a fuselage length of 2.1 m and a maximum takeoff weight of 65 kg.