UMS Skeldar

UMS Skeldar AG

Company type	Joint venture
Industry	Aerospace
Founded	2018
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Skeldar series of unmanned rotorcraft systems
Owner	UMS Aero Group (majority), Saab

UMS Skeldar AG is an aerospace company headquartered and operating production facilities in Linköping, Sweden. Established in 2018, it originated as a joint venture primarily owned by UMS Aero Group together with Saab. The company specializes in the development of the Skeldar series of unmanned rotorcraft systems. Additionally, UMS Skeldar owns the German engine manufacturer Hirth, which supplies lightweight two-stroke engines powering their rotorcraft.

Formation

Swiss UAV AG was a Swiss-based private enterprise focused on designing and producing vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In May 2009, Swiss UAV entered into a collaboration agreement with Saab.

Later, in 2013, Swiss UAV was acquired by Unmanned Systems AG. The following year, it merged with Swedish firm Unmanned Systems AB to become part of UMS Aero Group.

By the end of 2015, UMS Aero Group and Saab—developers of the Skeldar UAV—created UMS Skeldar, a joint venture in which UMS Aero Group holds the majority stake. The company operates manufacturing sites both in Switzerland and Sweden, with its Swedish facility known as UMS Skeldar Sweden AB.

Aircraft

Earlier models have comprised:

• F-330 Fixed-wing unmanned aerial system.
• F-720 Fixed-wing unmanned aerial system.
• R-350 Rotary unmanned aerial system.

The current lineup features two rotary-wing drone platforms:

• UMS Skeldar V-200
• UMS Skeldar V-150

Subsidiary companies

Main article: Hirth

In 2018, UMS Skeldar expanded its portfolio by acquiring the well-established German light piston engine manufacturer Hirth. Hirth is responsible for supplying the heavy-fuel (jet fuel) engines that power the rotorcraft.