Stella Tecnologia expands partnership with Brazilian Air Force

Stella's Condor MALE UAV has been designed to lift a front-mounted electro-optical multisensor gimbal, an underbelly surveillance radar system, and wing-mounted air-to-ground precision weapons. (Victor Barreira)

The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and local company Stella Tecnologia are looking to strengthen collaboration in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), signing a ‘protocol of intention' for this on 5 February.

The measure is intended to increase bilateral co-operation for developing UAVs and associated capabilities, Stella Tecnologia president Gilberto Buffara Júnior told Janes.

The agreement will last for 60 months with the possibility of extension, the FAB said.

It will establish technical studies and include information exchange, and eventually develop UAVs for the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); search-and-rescue (SAR); cargo transport; attack; and airborne communications post roles, Buffara said.

He added that joint development is planned for an ISR UAV equipped with beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) datalink system capability and latest-generation gyrostabilised electro-optical multisensor turret with artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

The agreement follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in September 2023 between the two parties to jointly develop conceptual studies related to UAVs and associated technologies.

Stella has gradually developed a range of fixed-wing short take-off and landing (STOL) UAVs, such as the Albatroz tactical UAV, and the Atobá and Condor medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAVs.

The Atobá has a length of 8 m long, a wingspan of 11 m, a maximum endurance of 28 hours, a top speed of 190 km/h, and can fly at a ceiling of 5,000 m. It was designed for ISR and attack missions, according to Buffara.