8. Leonardo – Italy
Leonardo S.p.A. is a global Italian multinational company deeply entrenched in the aerospace, defense, and security sectors.
While not solely a drone manufacturer, Leonardo plays a critical role in the unmanned systems domain by developing, producing, and integrating a wide array of advanced technologies that power and enable both military and civil drone operations.
Its comprehensive capabilities range from entire uncrewed aircraft systems to essential sensors, mission systems, ground control stations, and cutting-edge counter-UAS solutions, all built upon a foundation of extensive experience in rotorcraft and aviation.
Leonardo’s drone-related product and service portfolio is extensive. It is a significant participant in major European programs like the Eurodrone, a collaborative effort for a medium altitude long endurance uncrewed system designed for military and civil missions.
Its own platforms include the Falco EVO and Falco Xplorer, tactical and strategic surveillance UAV systems known for their persistent surveillance capabilities.
In the rotary-wing sector, the AWHERO is a leading 200 kilogram (441 pounds) class rotary UAS, a key part of Leonardo’s vision for crewed-uncrewed teaming with its manned helicopters.
Beyond the drones themselves, Leonardo is a strong provider of Counter-UAS Systems like Falcon Shield, which leverages high-performance electro-optical sensors and advanced radio frequency effector technology to detect, track, and neutralize hostile drones.
It also supplies critical components and services such as advanced radars for drone detection (including those from Leonardo DRS), secure communication systems, and uncrewed traffic management systems for safe drone integration into airspace.
