UAE orders 50 Omen autonomous aircraft as Anduril and EDGE push a hybrid-powered tailsitter toward full-rate production by 2028.
Omen, a new hover-to-cruise autonomous aircraft developed by Anduril and EDGE, is advancing toward full-rate production after the UAE confirmed an initial order of 50 systems.The aircraft sits at the top end of the Group 3 category but aims far beyond it.
Anduril positions Omen as a compact platform that can take on missions usually assigned to larger, crewed assets. The UAE’s order secures a production foundation and speeds the development timeline through 2028.Hybrid power unlocks the designOmen uses a tailsitter configuration with sail-plane wings, canards, and twin-boom nacelles. It lifts vertically, shifts into forward flight, and offers long endurance with heavier payload options.Early prototypes flew in 2019 but stalled due to propulsion limits. That changed after Anduril partnered with Archer Aviation.pic.twitter.com/aCjFg2J6yT— Anduril Industries November 12, 2025Shane Arnott, senior vice president of programs and engineering at Anduril, said the aircraft “hit a wall” until the hybrid system from Archer unlocked the needed performance, as reported by the Aviation Week Network.The design now targets missions normally handled by “much bigger systems.” He added: “Omen, being a series hybrid, actually has a lot of excess power.” The outlet said this surplus supports power-hungry electronic payloads.Arnott noted through Aviation Week’s reporting that the architecture is scalable, though only one configuration is being announced today.Built for long-range, multi-mission useOmen’s size and power system allow ranges suited for Indo-Pacific–scale operations. It carries multiple payloads and supports missions such as maritime surveillance, logistics resupply, air-defense sensing, and communications relay.The aircraft runs on Anduril’s Lattice mission autonomy software. Multiple Omen units will share sensor data, coordinate flight paths, and adjust behavior in real time.The system is also built for fast deployment. A two-person team can carry, assemble, and launch it within minutes. The frame folds down, and it requires no runway or prepared site.The companies frame Omen as dual-use. It can act as an airborne cell tower after disasters, deliver critical supplies to isolated areas, or assist in humanitarian operations.EDGE Chairman Faisal Al Bannai said Omen reflects a shift toward building advanced platforms in the UAE. “Embedding that capability in the UAE fundamentally accelerates how we innovate, build and field next-generation systems,” he said.He added that Omen pairs “deep autonomy, operational intelligence, and local production” in a single platform.The 50-aircraft order gives the program guaranteed scale and drives the move from development to full-rate manufacturing by 2028.Systems for the UAE and regional customers will be produced locally. U.S. orders will come from Anduril’s Arsenal-1 facility in Ohio.Anduril and EDGE will support Omen through the new EDGE–Anduril Production Alliance. The companies will also build a 50,000-sq-ft engineering and simulation center in the UAE to support design, testing, and future variants.
Archer Aviation Autonomous Aircraft EDGE Group Hybrid Propulsion Omen Aircraft UAE Defense
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