The British branch of the aircraft manufacturer Leonardo has unveiled the Proteus maritime drone concept, which is being developed at the request of the British Navy.

The company’s press service reported on this.

Proteus is being developed in cooperation between Leonardo, the Royal Navy and the British Ministry of Defense.

The unmanned helicopter is a prototype platform that will be used to develop solutions for modularity, autonomy, and adaptation for different combat and cargo payloads.

In addition, the experience gained in developing Proteus will be used to develop new, advanced helicopters, including methods for their design and production.

The development of the drone is part of the Royal Navy’s Naval Aviation Transformation Strategy, which aims to transform the industry by 2040.

To reduce costs and accelerate production of the Proteus, Leonardo used components from its entire helicopter lineup and existing drone development programs.

The company also created a “digital twin” of the Proteus to aid in development.

Using the digital twin, artificial intelligence, and machine learning algorithms allows Leonardo to test, modify, and validate capabilities without the need for real-world testing.

This reduces costs and significantly speeds up development compared to traditional development methods.

Leonardo is also experimenting with the use of new technologies, such as 3D printing and cost-effective composite materials.

Funding for the development of Proteus in the amount of 71 million euros was allocated in 2022. The prototype is expected to take to the skies in the middle of this year.

Militarnyi recently reported that the UK government, together with the Ministry of Defense, announced the development of a universal maritime drone for Ukraine.