Modern Warfare Is Outpacing Traditional Defense Systems: AIRO Introduces RQ-70 Dainn, Shaped by Years of Battlefield Experience

Key Terms

unmanned aircraft system technical

An unmanned aircraft system is a complete drone setup: the aircraft itself plus the ground controls, software, communications links and any support equipment needed to operate it—think of a remote‑controlled airplane combined with its pilot station and tools. Investors care because these systems create revenue and risk across industries (defense, delivery, agriculture, inspection), so changes in technology, regulations, safety record or production costs can quickly affect companies’ sales, liabilities and long‑term growth prospects.

uas technical

UAS stands for Unmanned Aircraft System, the complete setup that lets a remotely piloted aircraft (commonly called a drone) fly safely — including the aircraft itself, the ground controller, communications links and supporting equipment. Investors watch UAS because rules, technology and demand for tasks like surveying, delivery or aerial inspection directly affect companies’ sales and regulatory costs; think of it as a vehicle plus its keys, radio and support crew that together determine whether it can operate profitably.

intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technical

Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) are the activities and systems used to gather information about people, places and events—like a combination of watching with cameras and sensors, collecting clues, and making sense of them to know what is happening or likely to happen. Investors care because ISR drives demand for specialized equipment, software and services and affects national security spending and risk assessments; companies involved can see steady contracts, technology-driven growth, or heightened scrutiny depending on geopolitical developments.

isr technical

ISR stands for socially responsible investing (from the French phrase Investissement Socialement Responsable) and means choosing stocks, bonds or funds based on environmental, social and governance criteria in addition to financial return. Like picking a brand that matches your values, ISR matters to investors because it helps align portfolios with personal or institutional priorities, can reduce exposure to companies with regulatory or reputational risks, and can influence demand and valuation for firms deemed more sustainable.

vertical take-off and landing technical

Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) describes aircraft or vehicles that can lift off straight up and land straight down, like a helicopter, without needing a runway. Investors watch VTOL technology because it can unlock new markets, change manufacturing and operating costs, and create different regulatory and safety risks—similar to how a car that can also fly would create new sales opportunities and infrastructure needs that affect a company’s future revenue and valuation.

vtol technical

VTOL stands for vertical take-off and landing and describes aircraft that can lift off and land straight up and down instead of needing a runway, like a helicopter combined with an airplane. Investors care because VTOL designs open new markets for short-range transport, air taxis, cargo delivery and defense applications, and they bring specific technical, regulatory and manufacturing risks and costs that can affect a company’s revenue potential and timeline for profits.

gps/gnss-denied environments technical

Areas or situations where satellite positioning signals are unavailable, unreliable, or intentionally blocked, preventing devices from determining location using GPS or other global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). For investors, this matters because companies that design alternative navigation, timing, sensing, or communication technologies can gain market demand where satellites fail—think of indoor, underground, dense urban canyons, jamming-prone battlefields, or signal-compromised supply chains; the need for reliable location drives product value and contracts.

ai-driven technical

AI-driven describes products, services, processes or decisions that rely on artificial intelligence—software that detects patterns in data and makes predictions or choices without step-by-step human direction. For investors it signals potential for faster growth, lower operating costs or new revenue, but also new risks (model errors, data problems, regulatory limits); think of it like a smart thermostat that can save energy and money but can also misbehave if fed bad information.

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MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AIRO Group Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: AIRO), a next-generation aerospace and defense company, today announced the introduction of the RQ-70 Dainn, a long-range unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and target acquisition missions.

The RQ-70 Dainn will be officially unveiled at Eurosatory in Paris, June 15–19, 2026, where AIRO will showcase how its integrated, AI-driven systems are addressing increasingly complex and evolving mission requirements on today’s battlefield.

Modern warfare is evolving faster than traditional defense systems can keep pace. Many legacy solutions were designed for slower operational environments—defined by long development cycles, heavy platforms, and requirements set far from the point of decision. Today’s battlefields demand systems that perform immediately, adapt continuously, and operate at the speed of the mission.

Built on years of real-world deployment of AIRO’s Sky-Watch RQ-35 platform, the RQ-70 is purpose-built to address more complex and expanded mission requirements emerging across today’s battlefield. As operational environments become increasingly contested, distributed, and data-driven, missions demand extended reach, longer persistence, and the ability to operate effectively across multiple layers of the battlespace.

The RQ-70 translates proven battlefield experience into a system designed for these higher-order requirements—delivering greater range, endurance, and mission flexibility while preserving the speed, simplicity, and reliability operators depend on in the field.

“RQ-70 is not built on assumptions. We are building it from key insights and direct feedback from what works in the field - it is shaped by continuous feedback loops from the RQ-35 platform,” said John Uczekaj, Chief Operating Officer of AIRO. “As we work to scale the system, production will be supported across our facilities in Denmark and the United States, with a parallel production approach that we anticipate will support our ability to deliver this capability with the speed, reliability, and resilience today’s operational environments demand.”

From Proven Systems to Higher-Complexity Missions

The RQ-70 design builds directly on more than four years of continuous operational refinement of the RQ-35 platform in Ukraine—extending those proven capabilities to support more complex mission profiles, including extended-range ISR, longer duration persistent surveillance, and targeting operations across larger and more dynamic areas of interest.

Key system capabilities include:

• 8 hours of flight time
• ISR operations beyond the front lines with an operational range of 62+ miles (100 km)
• Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)
• Modular, multi-mission payload architecture
• Resilience in GPS/GNSS-denied environments
• Deployment by a single operator with fully autonomous mission operation and recovery
• Connectivity designed for digital battlefield integration

The intended result is persistent ISR capability in contested environments, delivered in a system operators can depend on when it matters most.

For AIRO, the aircraft itself is only part of the solution. The RQ-70 is designed as an integrated, AI-driven system in which aircraft, sensors, software, and user interfaces operate as a single connected architecture—designed to continuously improve through real-world use. System performance is impacted not just by what the system can see, but how quickly information moves, how effectively it is interpreted, and how decisively it acts.

This approach is designed to deliver clearer intelligence, faster decision-making, and greater operational confidence in high-stakes environments, where the ability to adapt in real time is as critical as the data itself.

“The RQ-70 represents a natural evolution of what we’ve learned operating in demanding and contested environments,” said Joe Burns, Chief Executive Officer of AIRO. “We anticipate that it will enable us to support more complex and distributed missions—extending the duration and reach of persistent surveillance, and providing warfighters with clearer, more actionable insights across the battlespace. This is central to our strategy of delivering integrated, AI-driven autonomy, where systems are built not just to collect data, but to accelerate decision-making and adapt in real time. These investments reflect our focus on building durable, long-term growth aligned with the evolving needs of modern defense.”

This development is intended to mirror the realities of modern conflict, where systems must be continuously tested, refined, and improved in dynamic operational environments. The RQ-70 is intended to build directly on the battlefield-proven RQ-35 platform and is designed to complement it—expanding warfighter capability while maintaining the reliability and usability operators depend on.

At its core, the system is shaped by a continuous feedback loop between frontline operators and ongoing development, enabling rapid iteration and ensuring that the platform remains aligned with evolving mission demands. This represents a broader shift across defense—from static systems designed for fixed requirements to adaptive capabilities built to meet increasingly complex and changing operational conditions.

Through these efforts, AIRO believes it is positioned at the forefront of this shift, focused on delivering capabilities that perform under pressure and evolve with the mission—where speed of insight, adaptability, and operational relevance define success.

Full-scale production is targeted for January 2027, with initial deliveries planned for later in 2027, subject to market demand and program execution.

About AIRO

AIRO Group Holdings is a next-generation aerospace and defense platform driving innovation across defense and commercial markets. Headquartered in McLean, VA, with operations in the U.S., Canada, and Denmark, AIRO combines a global reach with deep technical expertise.

Through a vertically integrated model, AIRO delivers mission-critical solutions centered on its drone platforms, leveraging advanced avionics, integrated training capabilities, and embedded autonomy across systems.

Forward Looking Statements

The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. You can identify these statements by words such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “designed to,” “projects,” “anticipates,” or similar expressions, or the negative of such expressions.

These forward-looking statements may be included throughout this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the development, production, and anticipated performance of the RQ-70 Dainn; the expected timing of full-scale production and initial deliveries; the ability of the RQ-70 to address mission requirements; AIRO’s ability to execute its strategic initiatives; the demand for, market acceptance of and opportunity of AIRO’s products and services; and other statements that are not historical fact.

By their nature, forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact or guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions or changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict or quantify, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in AIRO’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 31, 2026 as well as other filings AIRO may make with the SEC in the future. Forward-looking statements represent AIRO’s management’s beliefs and assumptions only as of the date such statements are made. AIRO undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260511572461/en/

Investor Relations Contact
Jack Senft
AIRO Group Holdings, Inc.
InvestorRelations@theairogroup.com

Media Contact
Dan Johnson
AIRO Group Holdings, Inc.
media@theairogroup.com

Source: AIRO Group Holdings, Inc.