Edinburgh drone company launches Hammer attack drone

An Edinburgh-based defence firm has launched a new UK-built one-way attack drone, unveiling the HAMMER unmanned aircraft system at a press and stakeholder event in East Lothian.

Edinburgh Drone Company (EDC) confirmed the fixed-wing platform has now been formally introduced following flight trials and munitions testing, with the system intended to support UK and allied operational requirements while reinforcing domestic defence manufacturing capacity.

HAMMER has been developed through a partnership between EDC and Aero Solutions Ltd, forming a UK manufacturing hub drawing on small and medium-sized engineering firms. The aircraft’s primary structures, including the fuselage, along with final assembly, are manufactured in the UK using European-sourced components.

The company said the design emphasis was placed on simplicity, affordability and scalability, allowing the system to be produced rapidly without unnecessary complexity. According to EDC, the aircraft was developed at a cost significantly lower than comparable European systems, while retaining the range and payload required for stand-off employment.

The platform was originally designed to carry a 2.5 kilogram munition, though testing has since indicated a payload capacity of at least 3.5 kilograms. During live munitions trials, EDC said its 2.5 kilogram munition successfully penetrated 600 millimetres of armoured steel.

Munition configurations supported include EDC’s 2.5 kilogram warhead, a user-fillable cassette system, and RPG-7 or similar payloads. A dedicated safe arming mechanism has also been integrated to improve handling safety during preparation and arming.

HAMMER is catapult-launched using a launcher designed and fabricated in-house at EDC’s East Lothian facility. The aircraft can be flown manually in two configurations, offering a standard range of 22 kilometres, or up to 50 kilometres with an extended-range upgrade. The system also allows for an endurance enhancement through the addition of extra batteries.

Speaking at the launch, EDC director Ross Laing said the programme reflected the company’s focus on sovereign capability and manufacturability at scale.

“HAMMER represents the next step in EDC’s mission to deliver a genuinely UK-built capability that is designed for one purpose — operational relevance,” he said. “This platform has been engineered from the ground up as a one-way effector aircraft, with a clear focus on range, payload, and manufacturability at scale.

“We’ve deliberately built HAMMER to be simple and cost-effective — up to £100,000 lower than comparable European start-up offerings — while remaining mission-ready. With over eight years of UAS development and production experience, we believe this is a landmark moment for Scotland’s defence manufacturing base and for the UK’s ability to generate sovereign capability at pace.”

Stewart Clifford of Aero Solutions Ltd said the project demonstrated what could be achieved through UK-based industrial collaboration.

“This programme is about building a practical UK manufacturing pathway for a capability that modern defence forces increasingly require — fast, scalable and mission-ready,” he said. “Our joint manufacturing hub with EDC is structured to enable repeatable production, continuous improvement and rapid integration of additional UK SME capacity.

“With partners like Blast Designs Solutions supporting effects integration and safety systems, we are demonstrating a complete UK-led capability pathway. HAMMER shows what is possible when UK industry collaborates to deliver capability with speed and purpose.”

The launch event was held at EDC’s manufacturing and test facility in Haddington, where industry partners and stakeholders were invited to view the system and discuss its future development and production pathway.