• The 600kg-class, unmanned helicopter is designed to deliver more than 200 kg of supplies to support special forces operating in contested environments.
• Backed by the Polish Ministry of Defence, the programme is nearing TRL-6 following successful flight testing.
• With a maximum speed of 180 km/h and a service ceiling of 4,000 metres, the platform could also support future naval logistics and maritime surveillance missions.

FlyFocus, a Warsaw-based defence technology company specialising in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and avionics, has unveiled the KURIER unmanned helicopter, a 600kg-class logistics platform capable of carrying more than a 200 kilogram cargo. The platform was presented publicly for the first time at the Drone World Expo exhibition held in Warsaw in early March. The project is backed by the Polish Ministry of Defence and aims to strengthen autonomous battlefield logistics and Poland’s technological sovereignty in unmanned systems.

KURIER has been developed by a Polish industrial and scientific consortium consisting of FlyFocus, FusionCopter and the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPPT PAN). The project is funded by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) under the supervision of the Polish Ministry of Defence, with a total programme value of nearly €5 million (PLN 20.8 million).

The aircraft is designed to supply special forces operating deep in contested environments. The system can deliver critical supplies when conventional logistics routes are denied and can operate in GPS-degraded or electronic warfare environments. Launched in February 2024, the programme is approaching Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL-6) following successful flight tests conducted in Poland’s military training areas under conditions similar to real operational use. 

Igor Skawiński, founder of FlyFocus, said: “KURIER represents a breakthrough in autonomous battlefield logistics and a major step toward strengthening Poland’s technological sovereignty in unmanned operational support systems. Military systems are only as reliable as the supply chains behind them. FlyFocus was built on the belief that trusted, European-controlled technology is a prerequisite for real military security. That is why we design and manufacture our systems in Europe using components sourced exclusively from NATO-aligned suppliers, ensuring full supply-chain transparency and long-term reliability.”

The unmanned helicopter has a maximum take-off weight of 600 kilograms, an empty weight of 350 kilograms, and a payload capacity exceeding 200 kilograms. It can reach a maximum speed of 180 kilometres per hour and offers flight endurance ranging from 3 to 10 hours depending on mission configuration. The platform has a service ceiling of 4,000 metres above sea level, with the potential to operate higher depending on configuration. With its payload capacity and endurance, the platform places FlyFocus in the emerging class of medium-weight unmanned logistics helicopters designed to support special forces operations.

Beyond land-based logistics missions, KURIER could also be considered for naval and maritime operations, including ship-to-ship transport, naval resupply missions, maritime surveillance and support for anti-submarine warfare operations. The system may also support monitoring of critical maritime infrastructure. FlyFocus notes that the underlying technology could support dual-use applications in the longer term, including offshore logistics, border protection and disaster response operations.

While the Polish Ministry of Defence remains the primary stakeholder, the system could eventually become the subject of joint government-to-government programmes with other NATO and European defence customers.