PRETORIA, South Africa — South African defence company Paramount Aerospace Systems has unveiled its new V-Raven fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2026 exhibition at Air Force Base Waterkloof near Pretoria.
The exhibition was held from 16 to 20 September 2026 and attracted 287 exhibitors from 33 countries, according to Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga.
The V-Raven has been developed from Paramount’s earlier N-Raven programme, which was first shown in 2021 as a catapult-launched swarming system. The original N-Raven weighed 41 kg, had a cruise speed of about 180 km/h and an endurance of roughly two hours. Later versions reached 55 kg and had a range of up to 100 km.
Unlike the N-Raven, the V-Raven does not require a catapult or runway. Its VTOL design allows it to be launched and recovered from remote or dispersed locations without fixed infrastructure.
Sello Ntshiele of Paramount Aerospace Systems said the V-Raven was developed for modern African operating conditions, including vast operating areas, remote terrain and dispersed threats. He said the aircraft is intended to provide longer-range surveillance while remaining a flexible and reusable system.
Two power versions
The V-Raven uses a common airframe in petrol-powered and electric versions. Both have a 3.6-metre wingspan, 2.1-metre fuselage length and 65 kg maximum take-off weight.
The petrol-powered version provides up to eight hours of endurance, a range of up to 1,200 km, a cruise speed of about 140 km/h and a communications link of up to 150 km from the ground station.
The electric version offers up to two hours of flight time and a maximum range of 250 km.
The initial focus is on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). The baseline configuration carries an electro-optical sensor for day-and-night surveillance, supports automatic target tracking and can use interchangeable electro-optical and infrared sensors.
Paramount is also developing a light-attack version capable of carrying precision-guided glide munitions. At AAD 2026, the V-Raven was displayed with Rheinmetall’s LongClaw glide bomb. The armed configuration will undergo systems integration, ground testing and flight trials before becoming available.
The company has identified areas such as the Sahel and northern Mozambique as examples of operating environments for the V-Raven, particularly where conventional airfields are limited or unavailable.
Paramount said the V-Raven represents the next stage of the programme, with a common airframe that can support different mission configurations as operational requirements change. The immediate priority remains the ISR configuration, with light attack as a further development path.
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