Facts

• Company: BlueBird Aero Systems
• Product type: UAV
• Status: active
• Website: https://bluebird-uav.com/thunderb-vtol/

Profile sections

• Summary
• Overview
• Market context
• Audience
• Workflow
• Capability
• Deployment environment
• Positioning tags
• Specifications
• Tags
• Operations Claims / Customers and deployments
• Comparable Systems
• Sources

Summary

ThunderB-VTOL is BlueBird Aero Systems tactical VTOL unmanned aircraft for ISTAR missions. It combines fixed-wing endurance with vertical takeoff and landing, carrying stabilized day or cooled-IR payloads for long-range covert observation.

Overview

ThunderB-VTOL is BlueBird Aero Systems tactical VTOL unmanned aircraft for ISTAR missions. It combines fixed-wing endurance with vertical takeoff and landing, carrying stabilized day or cooled-IR payloads for long-range covert observation.

Market context

ThunderB VTOL is BlueBird Aero Systems' vertical-takeoff version of the ThunderB tactical UAV family for long-endurance ISR missions without runway or catapult launch.

• Target environment: Defence field operations, border security and tactical surveillance environments.
• Workflow context: Tactical reconnaissance, ISR, patrol and remote sensing from austere launch sites.
• Deployment model: Defence UAV operated by military, security or government users.
• Commercial maturity: Commercial defence UAV product for long-endurance VTOL ISR missions.
• Adoption constraints: Requires trained operators, airspace approval, payload setup and tactical communications.
• Market position: VTOL extension of BlueBird's ThunderB family for long-endurance ISR from flexible launch sites.
• Adjacent products: Tactical VTOL UAV for defence, border security and field surveillance missions.

Audience

Defense

Workflow

Tactical reconnaissance, ISR, patrol and remote sensing from austere launch sites.

Capability

UAV

Deployment environment

Defence field operations, border security and tactical surveillance environments.

Positioning tags

• Audience: Defense
• Workflow: Tactical reconnaissance, ISR, patrol and remote sensing from austere launch sites.
• Capability: UAV
• Deployment environment: Defence field operations, border security and tactical surveillance environments.

Specifications

• Payload Configuration: Modular payload bay with quick-release connectors
• Communication Range Km: up to 150 km
• Endurance Hours: 12+ hours
• Launch Recovery: vertical takeoff and landing from confined or unprepared areas
• Max Speed Kmh: 120 km/h
• Mtow Kg: 45 kg
• Payload Capacity Kg: 4–8 kg
• Payload Eo: photogrammetric, multispectral and radiometric mapping cameras
• Target Use Cases: ISR, mapping, border protection, maritime operations, disaster management and tactical security
• Team Size: two-person operation

Tags

• Peer Group: Defence VTOL UAV
• Workflow: Drone ISR, Tactical reconnaissance
• Deployment Environment: Defence operational environment
• Stack Layer: Finished robot platform
• Commercial Stage: Commercial product

Operations Claims / Customers and deployments

• Customer Bound Vtol UAS Order - WanderB-VTOL and ThunderB-VTOL systems order - 2022-09-25 - Moroccan Army - military UAV operations - BlueBird said it was selected to supply WanderB-VTOL and ThunderB-VTOL systems to the…
• Customer Bound Vtol UAS Count - more than 150 VTOL UAS - 2020-02-26 - undisclosed European customer - VTOL UAS operations - BlueBird received an order worth tens of millions of euros for more than 150 WanderB-VTOL and T…

Comparable Systems

• Buntar-3 - Buntar Aerospace - UAV
• IC Drone - Duke Robotics - UAV
• Fury - Anduril Industries - UAV
• V-BAT - Shield AI - UAV