emirates7 - - Calidus Holding Group, one of the leading defence and manufacturing companies, Hameem Technologies, the UAE-based technology company and Aergility, the US-based aerospace company specialising in autonomous cargo aircraft, announced a strategic partnership to develop and produce the ALRASID and ALTARESH unmanned vertical take off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
The aircraft are designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and logistics missions enabled by unmanned air transport, providing a reliable capability for supply and payload delivery, enhancing operational continuity and improving the efficiency of field support. Production will take place at Calidus facilities in Abu Dhabi.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the seventh edition of UMEX and SimTEX 2026, organised by ADNEC Group in association with the Ministry of Defence at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, and running until 22nd January.
ALRASID and ALTARESH rely on some of the world’s most advanced flight technologies – the Managed Autorotation technology, marking a major step in advancing national aerospace capabilities.
This step reflects the advancing capabilities of national companies in the defence industries sector and the shared commitment of national companies within this strategic industrial and technological sector, in line with the UAE’s vision of leadership in advanced technology and future industries.
ALTARESH is the mid-size vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) platform with scalable technology capable of carrying up to 500lbs over 500miles, ideal for long-range autonomous logistics and operational support. ALRASID is a compact prototype designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, providing persistent, flexible aerial coverage in demanding environments.
The models are scalable to mission depth: contested logistics, ISR, critical resupply, disaster response, and medical support, amongst others. All models can be configured with additional sensors, communications, edge autonomy and AI systems, in line with the companies commitment to aircraft with simple operation and cost-effective through-life support.
Dr. Khalifa Murad Alblooshi, Managing Director and CEO of Calidus Holding Group, commented, “This partnership reflects the Group’s leadership as a fully integrated defence and manufacturing company while underscoring the strength of the UAE’s industrial ecosystem. By aligning strategic investment, local production, and breakthrough innovation, we are not only showcasing advanced platforms but also demonstrating our ability to deliver sovereign capabilities at scale, developed and manufactured in the UAE to the highest global standards - in line with the wise leadership’s vision for advancing national defence industries.”
Dr. Ahmed Daghash Aljaberi, CEO of Hameem Technologies, said, “We are committed to developing advanced technologies from the earliest stages of innovation, with the goal of transferring knowledge, localising modern technologies, and contributing to the growth of the UAE’s national manufacturing capabilities in line with the ‘We Are the UAE 2031’ vision to establish the country as a global hub for technology and innovation.”
Nick Hall, CEO of Aergility, said, "We are excited to deepen Aergility’s partnership with Calidus and Hameem Technologies as early investors in our company and as key partners in bringing our scalable Managed Autorotation technology to the UAE. Together, we are localising production in Abu Dhabi of a truly unique capability that delivers the versatility of a helicopter with the efficiency of a fixed-wing plane, without the complexity and infrastructure burden of conventional VTOL systems. This creates simple, cost-effective autonomous platforms for both defence and commercial missions at scale, further positioning the UAE as a global hub for these next generation platforms."
The aircraft are designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and logistics missions enabled by unmanned air transport, providing a reliable capability for supply and payload delivery, enhancing operational continuity and improving the efficiency of field support. Production will take place at Calidus facilities in Abu Dhabi.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the seventh edition of UMEX and SimTEX 2026, organised by ADNEC Group in association with the Ministry of Defence at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, and running until 22nd January.
ALRASID and ALTARESH rely on some of the world’s most advanced flight technologies – the Managed Autorotation technology, marking a major step in advancing national aerospace capabilities.
This step reflects the advancing capabilities of national companies in the defence industries sector and the shared commitment of national companies within this strategic industrial and technological sector, in line with the UAE’s vision of leadership in advanced technology and future industries.
ALTARESH is the mid-size vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) platform with scalable technology capable of carrying up to 500lbs over 500miles, ideal for long-range autonomous logistics and operational support. ALRASID is a compact prototype designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, providing persistent, flexible aerial coverage in demanding environments.
The models are scalable to mission depth: contested logistics, ISR, critical resupply, disaster response, and medical support, amongst others. All models can be configured with additional sensors, communications, edge autonomy and AI systems, in line with the companies commitment to aircraft with simple operation and cost-effective through-life support.
Dr. Khalifa Murad Alblooshi, Managing Director and CEO of Calidus Holding Group, commented, “This partnership reflects the Group’s leadership as a fully integrated defence and manufacturing company while underscoring the strength of the UAE’s industrial ecosystem. By aligning strategic investment, local production, and breakthrough innovation, we are not only showcasing advanced platforms but also demonstrating our ability to deliver sovereign capabilities at scale, developed and manufactured in the UAE to the highest global standards - in line with the wise leadership’s vision for advancing national defence industries.”
Dr. Ahmed Daghash Aljaberi, CEO of Hameem Technologies, said, “We are committed to developing advanced technologies from the earliest stages of innovation, with the goal of transferring knowledge, localising modern technologies, and contributing to the growth of the UAE’s national manufacturing capabilities in line with the ‘We Are the UAE 2031’ vision to establish the country as a global hub for technology and innovation.”
Nick Hall, CEO of Aergility, said, "We are excited to deepen Aergility’s partnership with Calidus and Hameem Technologies as early investors in our company and as key partners in bringing our scalable Managed Autorotation technology to the UAE. Together, we are localising production in Abu Dhabi of a truly unique capability that delivers the versatility of a helicopter with the efficiency of a fixed-wing plane, without the complexity and infrastructure burden of conventional VTOL systems. This creates simple, cost-effective autonomous platforms for both defence and commercial missions at scale, further positioning the UAE as a global hub for these next generation platforms."