Sol.One to Launch Belgian Factory Producing Saboteur Drones Equipped with Thales Missiles

Belgian drone manufacturer Sol.One has begun developing a new 8,000-square-meter production facility in Evergem. The company is best known for its Saboteur multirole drone, which can be equipped with Thales 70 mm precision-guided rockets.

The company confirmed the plans to Militarnyi.

Sol.One has also secured €2 million in new funding through a mix of equity and debt financing. The investment round valued the company at €750 million. As it expands its production capacity, Sol.One aims to become one of Europe’s five largest drone manufacturers.

On August 4, Sol.One will start outfitting a new 8,000-square-meter production facility in Evergem, near Ghent. The company’s existing Saboteur drone production line will be relocated to the new site, which will be progressively equipped for serial production.

Saboteur

The Saboteur is a multirole vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It has a wingspan of approximately 4 meters and a maximum weight of about 60 kg. Depending on the configuration, the UAV offers an endurance of 5 to 12 hours and an operational range of 400–500 km.

The aircraft features a hybrid propulsion architecture. Four electric lift motors power vertical takeoff and landing, while two gasoline engines provide propulsion during forward flight. The Saboteur has a cruise speed of approximately 120 km/h.

In its strike or counter-UAS configuration, the Saboteur can carry one or two Thales 70 mm rockets – either the FZ275 LGR or the FZ123 – for engaging both aerial and ground targets.

The company is also developing the Saboteur MR, a version designed to carry and launch FPV drones, as well as a cargo transport version of the platform. In addition, Sol.One has unveiled the Saboteur-K, a one-way attack variant with a claimed range of up to 500 km and a 10–15 kg warhead.

The estimated cost of a single Saboteur is around €40,000, although the final price depends on the specific variant and mission equipment.

Hitchhiker

The Hitchhiker is Sol.One’s jet-powered interceptor UAV, designed to counter attack drones and loitering munitions.

The aircraft is approximately 1.06 meters long, with a claimed range of up to 50 km and a maximum speed exceeding 600 km/h.

The interceptor is designed to autonomously acquire and engage aerial targets or operate using external target cueing. After closing with the target, it executes an intercept attack. According to the developer, if the initial engagement is unsuccessful, the Hitchhiker can continue pursuing the target and attempt a second intercept.

As of February 2026, Sol.One was testing various aerodynamic configurations of the aircraft and preparing it for demonstration flight trials.