At MSPO 2025 in Kielce, the Air Force Institute of Technology revealed the UAV PANCERNIK — also called Armadillo — a purpose-built reconnaissance and strike drone designed for close-support missions. As modern conflicts increasingly showcase the importance of unmanned systems, PANCERNIK represents Poland’s effort to equip its forces with a mini-class UAV capable of both surveillance and precision engagement. Its dual-grenade launcher pod reflects a wider shift toward multi-role drones combining ISR and strike functions in a single platform.
The rotary-wing UAV weighs 11 kg without payload, has a 4.5 km range, and can stay airborne for up to 50 minutes. Operating at altitudes between 5 and 120 meters, it can discreetly gather intelligence through its IR head and KTX camera. Its modular payload options include shaped-charge grenades for armored targets, smoke grenades for concealment, and flash-bangs for disorientation — making it suitable for both open-field and urban missions.
Unlike expendable loitering munitions, PANCERNIK is reusable, combining lethal and non-lethal capabilities in a single system. While Ukraine has popularized the use of improvised quadcopters to deliver explosives, PANCERNIK stands out as a military-grade, durable solution engineered for reliability and integration with Polish doctrine.
For Poland, located on NATO’s eastern flank, the system represents a proactive response to evolving battlefield threats, enhancing tactical autonomy and complementing larger UAV assets. Its unveiling at MSPO signals both a technological leap and an industrial ambition — positioning Poland as a contributor to NATO’s drone capabilities and opening doors for potential exports to allied nations with similar needs.
