The UAS must be fitted with a day camera with zoom, and a long wave infrared thermal imaging camera. 

Poland has opened a competition for the acquisition of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAS, a 2 October announcement from Poland’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) has revealed.  

The UAS will be used for exercises and training tasks by soldiers and trainee pilots, the MND said, and it must be capable of performing visual line of sight and beyond visual line of sight operations for reconnaissance at a platoon level.  

The MND did not specify the value of the competition, nor the number of units it plans to acquire in comment to DSEI Gateway, though the wording of the announcement implies it is a single system.  

According to the announcement, the system must be equipped with a day camera featuring an optical zoom and a long wave infrared thermal imaging sensor, along with other technical components, including a flight control kit, a radio communication system, and an additional power bank, among other things. 

The UAS must be capable of flying at no less than 10km from the operator to ensure visibility of the “radio horizon”, and it should be able to fly 300m above ground level for no less than 80 minutes of flight time. 

It should also be able to fly at a speed of at least 72km/h and be able to perform VTOL without the use of a special launching device or catapult, the MND said. Additionally, it must have a global navigation satellite system receiver for GPS purposes.  

All equipment must be manufactured in the EU or in NATO countries, the MND said. This comes following reports that European components, including from the UK, are being found in Russian munitions.  

Companies seeking to apply for this tender notice should submit completed applications by 10 October.  

The MND’s plan to acquire this UAS comes after a concerted push on drone acquisition which has so far seen Poland commit to building an “army of drones” in April. Poland also earmarked PLN200 million (USD53 million) for acquiring new drones in July, along with rolling out reforms to drone procurement.