Calidus Holding Group has announced a strategic partnership with Hameem Technologies and Aergility to jointly develop and manufacture two unmanned vertical take-off and landing aircraft, ALRASID and ALTARESH, strengthening the UAE’s national aerospace and defence capabilities.
The VTOL platforms are designed to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, as well as unmanned logistics operations. They provide reliable supply and payload delivery capabilities, helping to ensure operational continuity and improve field support efficiency. Production of both aircraft will take place at Calidus facilities in Abu Dhabi.
The partnership was announced on the sidelines of the seventh edition of UMEX and SimTEX 2026, organised by ADNEC Group in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, with the event running until 22 January.
ALRASID and ALTARESH incorporate advanced flight technologies, including Aergility’s Managed Autorotation system, representing a significant step forward in enhancing sovereign aerospace capabilities and reinforcing the role of national companies in the UAE’s defence industrial ecosystem.
ALTARESH is a mid-size VTOL platform with scalable architecture, capable of carrying payloads of up to 500 pounds over distances of up to 500 miles. It is designed for long-range autonomous logistics and operational support missions. ALRASID, meanwhile, is a compact prototype focused on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, offering persistent and flexible aerial coverage in challenging environments.
Both platforms are designed to scale across a wide range of mission profiles, including contested logistics, critical resupply, disaster response and medical support. The aircraft can also be equipped with additional sensors, communications systems, edge autonomy and artificial intelligence capabilities, supporting simple operation and cost-effective lifecycle management.
Dr Khalifa Murad Alblooshi, Managing Director and CEO of Calidus Holding Group, said the partnership highlights the company’s position as a fully integrated defence and manufacturing group and reflects the strength of the UAE’s industrial ecosystem. He noted that local production combined with advanced innovation enables the delivery of sovereign capabilities developed and manufactured in the UAE to global standards.
Dr Ahmed Daghash Aljaberi, CEO of Hameem Technologies, said the collaboration supports the company’s commitment to advancing technology from early-stage innovation through to localisation and knowledge transfer, contributing to national manufacturing growth in line with the “We Are the UAE 2031” vision.
Nick Hall, CEO of Aergility, said the partnership builds on the company’s long-standing relationship with Calidus and Hameem Technologies, enabling the localisation of Managed Autorotation technology in Abu Dhabi. He added that the platforms combine helicopter-like versatility with the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft, without the complexity and infrastructure demands of conventional VTOL systems, positioning the UAE as a global hub for next-generation autonomous aerial platforms.
