Belgium unveils GPS-independent kamikaze drone

The new Belgian loitering munition is made entirely of domestically produced components. Belgium unveiled this at the BEDEX 2026 defense exhibition in Brussels. Drone- a kamikaze equipped with an alternative navigation system that does not depend on the presence of a GPS network.

This was reported by the Western publication NextGen Defense.

developer drone The Belgian defense company ALX Systems is the project's main competitor. Media reports claim that the demonstration of a loitering munition at the exhibition was one of the highlights of the event.

The device is capable of attacking targets at ranges of up to 50 kilometers and operates autonomously for 35 minutes. This time allows operators to search, verify, and engage a target within a single operation cycle.

The drone travels at a speed of 108 kilometers per hour, but is capable of briefly accelerating if necessary.

A UAV can carry a payload of up to two kilograms. Most often, this is an integrated warhead used to destroy equipment, field fortifications, and other targets. However, the drone can also be equipped with electro-optical sensors. These sensors can be used for reconnaissance, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.

Last February, Bart de Wever, leader of the right-wing New Flemish Alliance party, took office as head of the Belgian government. The new leadership set the goal of increasing the potential of the country's armed forces.

Comments

[pudelartemon]

I remembered an old, Soviet joke.
The commander of our submarine is conducting an emergency investigation.
- To hell with Belgium. But who pressed the red button without a command?

[5.11]

.....who threw a tarpaulin boot on the control panel (c)
I think that's how it was)

[PROXOR]

Quote: 5.11

.....who threw a tarpaulin boot on the control panel (c)

Felt boot. Who threw a felt boot on the remote control? (c)

[Father of papa carlo]

Worse, boomerang socks!

[knn54]

-kamikaze drone,
More like a loitering munition.
-capable of operating without GPS
He just gets his bearings.

[Michael]

Belgium unveils GPS-independent kamikaze drone

Do you use GLONASS?

[Plate]

Another option is an inertial navigation system combined with machine vision-based route correction and target acquisition. Nothing fundamentally new, but the fact that it's been squeezed into a small drone is also, overall, an achievement.

[Michael]

Quote: Plate

But the fact that it was crammed into a small drone is also, overall, an achievement.

Why is sarcasm without emoticons not noticed?
There's already 25-30 km of fiber optics here, but the Belgians are trying to pass off a 23-24 model as a new product.

[Plate]

Quote: Michael

Why is sarcasm without emoticons not noticed?

Yes, it's clear that the GLONASS thing is sarcastic. You see, we just want to respond, but we can't come up with our own sarcasm, so we write as if we didn't understand a thing.
Fiber optics for a drone is still a crutch, in my opinion.

[cpls22]

Quote: Michael

Do you use GLONASS?

It looks like fpv, and orientation is based on a pre-mapped space.
Maybe the AI ​​"recognizes" the terrain and adds object markings to the video.

[Skobaristan]

The device is capable of attacking targets at a distance of up to 50 kilometers and can operate autonomously for 35 minutes. This time is enough for operators to search, check, and engage a target in a single work cycle. (C) I'm confused by the mention of autonomous operation and then the mention of the operator. If he meant that the battery lasts for 35 minutes, I don't understand the use of the word "autonomous." If he meant that it can independently find and engage targets, then what does the operator have to do with it? If it's truly a FPV, then with direct control and "one-way ticket" operation, satellite navigation is not necessary. Overall, the article seems odd to me.

[cpls22]

Quote: Skobaristan

In general, for me, the text of the article is strange.

Yes, there is such a thing.

[Michael]

Quote: Skobaristan

In general, for me, the text of the article is strange.

The Belgians have been selling the model for 24 years.
Now they fly on fiber optics over 25-30 km.

[Arkady007]

Our people need to invest specifically in the development of navigation gyrocompasses, and even better in MEMS.
They were needed yesterday, for everything that moves and does not want to be dependent on communications and satellites.
A specific answer to Musk.

[cpls22]

Quote: Arkady007

We need to invest specifically in the development of navigation gyrocompasses.

Inertial systems do not take wind into account, and for small devices it can be a significant interference, accumulating error.

[Arkady007]

Inertial navigation systems (INS) account for interference, including wind, using measurement error compensation methods. This is because INS rely on acceleration and angular velocity measurements, but external factors can influence the system's operation, potentially causing errors.
Errors in measurements can be due to imperfect sensors, the slightest shifts in the zero level of accelerometers or gyroscopes, noise and quantization during integration turn into a significantly increasing error.
Conclusion: everything can be solved when you know the cause, which means you need to work in this direction.

[cpls22]

Quote: Arkady007

Everything can be solved when you know the reason, which means you need to work in this direction.

Acceleration is recorded, but how do we account for a prolonged headwind? The sensor assumes the aircraft is moving at a constant speed, but it's actually flying slower. Errors can be compensated for by checking pre-established landmarks, but then it's easier to switch to landmarks altogether, given modern mapping capabilities. Many instruments that are appropriate on larger aircraft would take up too much space on smaller ones.
The operator is mentioned there for a reason - most likely, orientation occurs with the help of ground-based computing power.

[Arkady007]

The point is not in the subtleties of guidance, but in the methods for eliminating errors.
The device exists, it needs to be improved and it was needed yesterday.

[cpls22]

Quote: Arkady007

The point is not in the subtleties of guidance, but in the methods for eliminating errors.
The device exists, it needs to be improved and it was needed yesterday.

I'm talking about the methods too. Correction requires ground contact. If it's there, then the inertial system is essentially unnecessary and can only serve as a backup/emergency system, in case the main, more accurate one fails. The inertial system can also serve as an auxiliary one, to speed up the latter's operation. I don't know anything about the device.

[Arkady007]

When the gyroscope is working properly, other navigation reference systems may not need to be turned on at all.
An example from personal practice.
The flight from Tallinn to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky was on two gyroscopes, I don't remember exactly, but it was somewhere around 10 hours. We didn't make any corrections for the sake of an experiment. The deviation on the runway was about 100 m, and this was in the 80s.
There was no talk of GLONASS, GPS, or Musk back then.

[cpls22]

Quote: Arkady007

When the gyroscope is working properly, other navigation reference systems may not need to be turned on at all.

For heavy vehicles, especially manned ones, this may be true, but for light UAVs it is most likely unacceptable.

[solar]

This time is enough for operators to search, check and destroy a target within one work cycle.

So, they just use a camera and an operator?

[Michael]

Quote from solar

So, they just use a camera and an operator?

Naturally. They're pushing 23-24 models as if they were brand new.
Now they fly 30 km on fiber optics.

[andrey martov]

Nowadays, any state that has ventilators can declare them drones. . .

[Andriuha077]

The parameters are simple, and many ready-made visual navigation solutions are available.

U.S. company

Auterion officially announced the successful development of a machine vision system called Skynode S, which is being delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces for testing. Skynode S is a minicomputer and flight controller.
The software has already proven itself in combat missions in Ukraine and provides Ukrainian forces with advanced computer vision to counter and circumvent the loss of GPS and radio frequency guidance in electronic warfare. It is the first to offer swarm control, fully autonomous flight, and jamming resistance.
Essentially, the idea is to create a low-cost, miniature, and simple homing head for drones. Auterion reported that SkyNode S allows drones to navigate over significant distances in the absence of satellite navigation. This is achieved using an algorithm that compares the drone's "visible" image with high-resolution satellite maps.

American developers from the startup Theseus have presented a visual navigation system for UAVs that operates in areas without GPS coverage. Navigation is accomplished using an accelerometer/gyroscope and a camera, whose image is compared with Google Maps satellite imagery preloaded into the system.
Such a navigation unit can be installed on virtually any UAV in about half an hour. Theseus compares the terrain it flies over with Google Maps, then "tricks" the drone with a fake GPS signal, making it think it's following a satellite signal. The system is completely autonomous, cannot be jammed, and has no radio frequency signature.

[Earl]

Well, here we go. Now Sweden will be joining in with its Karlsson-kamikazes.

[Maikcg]

The Astronomicon operates from the Imperium, the Big Black... ahem, the BBC and a few others operate from the Point of Terror, well, you can triangulate using them with a high degree of probability or whoever highly likely sends you without GPS and SMS.

[Fangaro]

Quote: pudelartemon

I remembered an old, Soviet joke.
The commander of our submarine is conducting an emergency investigation.
- To hell with Belgium. But who pressed the red button without a command?

To hell with Australia!
But there must be order!!!
Who dried boots on the remote control?!

[Al manah]

The Belgian loitering munition consists entirely of from domestic components.

So what, it's the same with us, isn't it? Or is it? No, it's impossible for a superpower to be unable to do what some small fry can.

[sir Garry]

Quote: 5.11

tarpaulin boots

It seems like there was a felt boot... And not Belgium, but California.

[sir Garry]

Okay, so we loaded it with NAVITEL-type maps, but how will it determine its geolocation? Inertial system (gyroscopes) plus speed and time calculations? And how will it measure speed? Sounds like a scam! It still needs a satellite, at least somehow!

[sir Garry]

Quote: Michael

Do you use GLONASS?

By all means! We can't do without him!