The British Army is investing £10 million into autonomous drones designed to operate alongside Apache attack helicopters as Project NYX moves into its next development phase.

The programme is developing Uncrewed Air Systems capable of acting as “loyal wingmen” for Apache crews across missions including reconnaissance, precision strike, target acquisition and electronic warfare in contested environments.

Under the concept, the drones would operate autonomously while feeding information back to Apache crews, removing the need for pilots to control them directly. Any decisions involving weapons release would continue to require human approval.

Four companies have been selected from a competitive field to develop the technology: Anduril Industries, BAE Systems, Tekever and Thales.

The MOD will work with the companies over the coming months to assess the different proposals before selecting up to two designs to progress into the prototype stage in Autumn 2026.

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard says: “This is British ingenuity at its best – cutting-edge drones working alongside Apache helicopters to give our soldiers an unbeatable advantage on the battlefield. The UK isn't just keeping up with the future of warfare, we're driving it. This government said it would act with urgency to strengthen our defences and back British industry, and that is exactly what we are doing - investing now in the capabilities our Armed Forces will need to stay ahead of our adversaries and keep this country safe.”

The project is being delivered with UK Defence Innovation, which is providing engineering, safety, commercial and programme delivery support as the Army explores greater use of autonomous systems.