Nepal Orders Robinson Unmannede28099s SPIRIT Drone for Army Operations
1. Contract Overview
On 13 October 2026, Robinson Unmanned announced that Ascent AeroSystems, its contracting entity for U.S. defence programmes, had received a firm-fixed-price Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to supply the Nepali Army. The award was issued through the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), based at Patuxent River, Maryland.
The package includes SPIRIT base and payload kits, additional aircraft hardware, spare parts, extended warranty coverage, operator training and system support. The announcement did not disclose the number of aircraft ordered or the contract value.
2. SPIRIT Platform Specifications and Design
SPIRIT is a compact vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS). Its cylindrical fuselage and coaxial configuration, featuring two counter-rotating rotors on the same axis, eliminate conventional multirotor arms and enable deployment by a small team.
- Weight and payload: Maximum take-off weight of 6.1 kg, including battery and payload; maximum payload capacity of 3 kg.
- Endurance and speed: With two batteries, up to 53 minutes without payload or 32 minutes with maximum payload; maximum manual speed exceeds 60 mph (approximately 97 km/h).
- Operating limits: Maximum observed altitude of 14,600 feet (approximately 4,450 m) above mean sea level (MSL); wind resistance exceeding 40 mph (approximately 64 km/h).
- Environmental protection: IP56 rating under IEC 60529, indicating protection against dust ingress and powerful water jets. Operating temperature: e2889240b0C to +54b0C.
- Architecture and applications: Modular open systems architecture supports interchangeable electro-optical/infrared sensors and mapping or inspection equipment for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).
- Compliance: Blue UAS Cleared and NDAA-compliant, meeting relevant U.S. government supply-chain requirements
3. Alternative Market Offerings
These platforms offer different capabilities; whether they competed for the Nepali contract is unconfirmed.
- Parrot ANAFI UKR (France): Unveiled in June 2025 for defence, public safety and government ISR. Features a 1.45 kg maximum take-off mass, low acoustic signature, secure communications, navigation for GNSS-denied environments, visible-light and thermal imaging, and up to 70 minutese28099 endurance and 40 km flight distance with its XLR battery.
- ACSL SOTEN (Japan): Conventional multirotor weighing 1.72 kg with its standard camera and battery, with a 2 kg maximum take-off weight. Designed for infrastructure inspection, surveying and disaster response, it features encrypted communications, data-security measures and interchangeable optical, infrared and multispectral cameras. Endurance: 25 minutes with the standard camera or 29 minutes without it.
- UCONSYSTEM REMOEYE-006A (South Korea): Fixed-wing reconnaissance UAV with a 2.72 m wingspan, 6.5 kg maximum take-off weight, 15 km operational range and up to 120 minutese28099 endurance. It uses automatic bungee launch and parachute recovery or belly landing, prioritising autonomous long-endurance flight over hovering VTOL capability.
4. Summary of System Profiles
- SPIRIT (USA): Rugged coaxial VTOL platform for modular payloads and demanding environments.
- ANAFI UKR (France): Compact ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) platform prioritising secure communications, low acoustic signature and extended range.
- SOTEN (Japan): Lightweight imaging drone focused on data security and government and industrial monitoring.
- REMOEYE-006A (South Korea): Fixed-wing reconnaissance UAV optimised for endurance and autonomous flight.
