Defense firm STARK has opened a new drone factory in the United Kingdom, creating more than 100 jobs as the country accelerates efforts to build a high-volume production base.
STARK’s purpose-built 40,000-square-foot (3,716 square meters) site — its first production facility outside Germany — will begin assembling AI-enabled uncrewed systems in the coming months.
The plant will produce the Virtus loitering munition, already combat-tested in Ukraine, along with other autonomous platforms that form part of London’s push to scale domestic drone output under the Strategic Defence Review.
The facility is expected to be fully operational by 2026, producing thousands of drones annually and supporting UK, Ukrainian, and wider European requirements.
Officials described the investment as a direct outcome of the UK–Germany Trinity House Agreement, which aims to expand joint development of next-generation battlefield technologies and strengthen NATO supply chains.
Recent UK Drone Factory Openings
Swindon’s facility joins a series of new drone-manufacturing sites across the UK as London moves to expand sovereign production capacity.
Leonardo opened a dedicated rotary-wing UAV assembly line in West Lothian, where it builds its AWHero-based platforms for maritime and coastal surveillance missions.
In Wales, Thales expanded its long-running Watchkeeper program with an upgraded plant focused on enhanced reconnaissance drones, boosting output for the British Army’s intelligence and border-security needs.
A propulsion-focused facility in Sheffield, operated by British engineering firm Kendrew Dynamics, began producing electric and hybrid UAV engines for endurance-oriented systems, reducing reliance on imported powertrains.
Further south, Windracers Group established a manufacturing hub in Cornwall for its long-range ULTRA UAV, supporting maritime patrol, logistics, and persistent communications relay missions within the region’s growing drone corridor.
