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Combining a fascination for aerodynamics and an eidetic memory, Andras Kersics has dedicated his life to reshaping the possibilities for flying objects. It was only natural for him to begin experimenting with drones, earning several patents and design trademarks for unmanned aerial concepts. With the explosion of the drone industry, Mr. Kersics founded UAVIATOR Drones Ltd. in 2017 with his business partner Andras Gyarmati. Located about 10 miles from Budapest, the capital of Hungary, UAVIATOR operates out of Tököl Airport, a private airport primarily serving as an aerodynamics factory.

As Mr. Kersics and Mr. Gyarmati proudly explain, they believe the best innovations in drone technology happen in the field and workshop, not inside an office, making Tököl Airport the perfect setting for UAVIATOR’s suite of drones. As explained on the company website, “Our objective is to produce a variety of airframes with state-of-the-art technology installations in order to meet any end-user requirements at affordable prices.” These end-users could include those looking to apply drone technology in sectors such as agriculture, inspection, surveying, logistics, emergency services, government, and more.

UAVIATOR’s flagship drones are the Blacktip Reef Category 1 UAV and the Hammerhead Category 2 UAV. The team chose these names because they view sharks as the rulers of the ocean, much like how they envision drones becoming the rulers of the skies. With a 6.8-foot wingspan, the Blacktip Reef is a VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) drone with a maximum 13.2-pound payload, a 180-mile range, and a ceiling of nearly 20,000 feet. The Hammerhead is also a VTOL drone, with a nearly 23-foot wingspan, a maximum payload capacity of 165.3 pounds, a 466-mile range, and a maximum altitude of around 16,000 feet.

Built in the workshop at Tököl Airport, each drone is handmade with the utmost care. “The airframe we make is a combination of carbon composite and aramid honeycomb Herex,” UAVIATOR explains. ” This we treat with vacuum sandwich technology to achieve the final strength and dynamics. All materials and products we use and offer are accredited and of aerospace standards. In the fabrication process, we apply negative templates in order to receive homogenous interchangeable parts like the wings and centroplane. With this, we achieve a modular system of production and a quick after-sale service becomes also available. Therefore production and maintenance costs are minimized and economic henceforward.”

The electronics UAVIATOR uses in their drones are mostly off-the-shelf consumer products, another factor that helps them keep production costs to a minimum, benefiting consumers. While the components may be off-the-shelf parts, ” all of our robots are homemade meaning that we program software in house by ourselves minimizing exposure to hacking threats on the system,” UAVIATOR clarifies. Each drone has fully autonomous capabilities, can be programmed to achieve a variety of goals, is fully redundant, and provides secure communication links. Due to the time required to build each drone, UAVIATOR currently produces only a few drones per week. However, the company recently announced interest in one of their new drone models for a military contract, which would require them to ramp up production timelines.

The new drone is called the Phantom, a heavy-lift VTOL Category 3 UAV with stealth capabilities. The Phantom drone has a 45.9-foot wingspan and weighs 1,322 pounds. It features a modular design that allows components to be swapped out based on mission objectives. Because of its modular design, the drone can support an additional payload of 1,102 pounds. The Phantom’s large size and payload capacity do not hinder its durability or flight range. The drone has a maximum flight range of 6,213 miles with a maximum altitude of just under 20,000 feet, similar to the Blacktip Reef drone.

What makes the Phantom particularly attractive to military contractors is its sleek airframe. Though large, the drone can practically blend into the horizon, making it virtually undetectable by traditional detection methods. This low profile makes the drone an ideal tool for missions involving reconnaissance, surveillance, and operational support. As military organizations are always seeking the next advancement in drone technology while minimizing cost expenditures, UAVIATOR’s Phantom drone is poised to occupy a unique niche in the drone market. With a focus on meeting diverse end-user needs—from agriculture and logistics to military applications—the company is not only reshaping how drones are built but also how they can be deployed in various sectors. As UAVIATOR ramps up production to meet growing demand, particularly for their new Phantom model, the future looks bright for this Hungarian trailblazer in the skies.

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