Canadian drone manufacturer Draganfly has secured a strategically important contract to supply its flagship Commander 3XL unmanned aerial systems to a military customer in the Asia-Pacific region. The order was placed through a recognized defense contractor, underscoring growing regional demand for advanced drone capabilities. Due to contractual and regulatory limits, the company did not reveal the end user or financial terms of the agreement.
The package includes a ruggedized ground control station, AES-256 encrypted communication links, and flexible payload configurations tailored for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and logistical missions. Draganfly noted that the contract features options for additional phases, allowing the unnamed client to expand adoption as it continues evaluating the platform’s ability to operate across multiple mission sets and environments.
The Commander 3XL is engineered for heavy-lift, rapid-deployment tasks and can carry up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of payload. Its modular design supports a wide range of equipment, from optical and thermal sensors to mapping and specialized surveillance tools. The drone’s foldable arms enhance mobility for field teams requiring quick transport and deployment.
Built to operate in challenging conditions, the drone’s rotors can function in light rain or snow. It offers impressive performance with speeds of up to 38 knots (70 km/h / 44 mph), operational ceilings reaching 2,438 meters (7,999 feet), flight endurance of around 50 minutes, and mission ranges exceeding 10 kilometers (6 miles) depending on antenna and accessory configurations. The new contract further strengthens Draganfly’s presence in the defense UAV market as militaries adopt robust autonomous systems.
