British Army don complete at least eight weeks of experimentation with im Swarm Capability Test Bed (CTB) wey get eight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), according to 16 September 2026 Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) press release.
Di Swarm CTB project join more than 10 years of Dstl research inside AI, autonomy, and swarming technology, according to di release. Di test bed also give British Army platform to experiment with future swarm concepts.
Dstl, with Army HQ and industry, deliver Phase 1 of Software Defined Swarms Concept Demonstrator. Di phase get two industry-led options. One option come from BlueBear, a Saab company. Saab talk say BlueBear’s SwarmCommand platform fit enable 21 systems to fly at di same time. Di second option come from Disruptor Group, a consortium of UK companies led by Applied Intuition.
Dstl press release describe both as UK’s “first high technology readiness, collective control swarming UAV demonstrations.” Di release no give further details on wetin come out of di demonstrations.
Di Swarm CTB now dey for British Army operators hand and na focus for live flying by Army’s Experimentation and Trials Group (ETG). Di underlying technology fit also work for unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), according to di release.
Di work na first phase of Software Defined Swarms Concept Demonstrator, wey Dstl develop with Army Headquarters and industry, and e build on activity under AUKUS Pillar 2.
Two industry-led approaches dem test for realistic operational environments. Trials allow soldiers to assess how di systems handle representative battlefield tasks. Army particularly interested for roles like intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for forward-deployed forces.
For centre of di work na wetin Army describe as true swarming. Dat mean groups of robots wey dem command collaboratively, no be just flying several individually controlled drones for same area.
Brigadier Kieran Sheldon, Head Military Capability Plans at Army Headquarters, talk say: “The partnership with Dstl to develop swarming technology has been hugely energising for all involved. Dstl has enabled, with industry, the Army to conduct extensive in field trials since May.” He add: “The technology for true swarms, groups of robots that are commanded as collaborative groups, has significant potential and due to the work of Dstl and the industry teams, the Army is more informed and empowered to seize it.”
Di Army don already complete eight weeks of experimentation using di Swarm Capability Test Bed, wey consist of eight uncrewed aerial vehicles. Di system now dey for British Army operators hand, with di Experimentation and Trials Group carrying out live flying and further trials planned through 2026 and 2027.
Dstl talk say di demonstrator use open architectures so dat dem fit adapt di system as new technologies emerge, instead of tying am permanently to one type of drone or control system. Di same underlying approach fit also apply beyond air domain, including to uncrewed ground vehicles and uncrewed surface vessels.
Di project bring together more than a decade of Dstl work inside artificial intelligence, autonomy and swarming technology into test bed wey soldiers fit now use directly for field.
Richard, Dstl’s Land Systems Programme Manager, talk say: “The team has demonstrated what true partnership can achieve, uniting technical excellence, operational insight, and strategic coherence to drive forward a capability that will fundamentally reshape future military advantage.”
Di Army see swarming systems as one route to increase battlefield mass without relying entirely on expensive crewed platforms. E go use lower-cost autonomous systems wey fit work together to produce coordinated effect.
Sheldon talk say: “This offers the opportunity to really accelerate the Army’s adoption of uncrewed, autonomous and swarming systems to increase fighting power through lower cost attritable and consumable systems that provide coordinated effect.”
Di work also reflect lessons from Ukraine, where rapid evolution of drones, autonomous systems and electronic warfare don put premium on technologies wey fit adapt quickly as threats change.
Future battlefields go dey increasingly shaped by autonomous technologies. Di Army need clear understanding of how swarming drones fit dey used effectively, safely and at scale in support of forward deployed tasks such as Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.
Dstl deliver UK’s first high technology readiness, collective control swarming drone demonstrations. Di Swarm CTB provide Army with versatile platform to experiment with future swarm concepts, help accelerate innovation while reducing risk. Di Army don complete 8 weeks of experimentation with di Swarm CTB, consisting of 8 uncrewed aerial vehicles, and e get number of other experiments, trials and field tests planned for 2026 to 2027.
Dstl na part of di National Armaments Directorate of di Ministry of Defence.
