Croatia’s Orqa Teams With Red River Depot to Boost US Army Drone Production
Croatia-based firm Orqa has signed an agreement with Red River Army Depot in Texas to support the expansion of the US Army’s small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) manufacturing capacity.
Under the agreement, Red River Army Depot, which provides manufacturing and repair services for military vehicles and components, will produce Orqa drones for the US military, while the company will supply technology and production support.
Systems developed through the effort are intended to meet US requirements and may also be supplied to partner countries through existing defense cooperation frameworks.
According to the company, the initiative aligns with broader efforts under Washington’s latest National Defense Authorization Act to increase unmanned systems production within existing army depots.
While expanding its capacity abroad, Orqa continues to base most of its manufacturing in Osijek, Croatia, using tools such as 3D printing and radio-frequency testing equipment.
Work focuses on first-person view drone technology, including antennas, radio controllers, headsets, and low-latency video transmission systems.
The company performs most design and engineering in-house, including electronics, radio-frequency systems, optics, and prototyping.
Expanding Production and Cooperation
The agreement builds on Orqa’s existing cooperation with the US military and forms part of its broader effort to expand production through the Global Manufacturing Program, which aims to scale output and integrate with the US defense industrial base.
The company currently produces up to 280,000 drones per year at its headquarters in Osijek, and plans to increase capacity to over one million units annually through partnerships with Washington.
Orqa’s systems have also been used in recent US Army Europe and Africa initiatives, including a drone-focused warfighter competition involving allied and partner forces to test operational UAS capabilities.
