The Cyprus National Guard has established a new capability for the design, development and production of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), including First-Person View (FPV) platforms, marking another step in the technological and operational transformation of the country’s Armed Forces.

Chief of the National Guard Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou recently visited the newly established Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAV/FPV) Production Laboratory at the 12th Engineer Battalion, where he was briefed on the design, development and production of unmanned systems by the National Guard, as well as the prospects for their further development and operational employment.

The establishment of the laboratory provides the National Guard with an indigenous capability to develop and produce small unmanned aerial platforms tailored to its requirements. At the same time, it contributes to greater autonomy, flexibility and the ability to adapt more rapidly to the changing requirements of the modern operational environment.

Small UAVs and FPV systems have assumed an increasingly prominent role on the contemporary battlefield, providing military forces with flexible unmanned capabilities that can be adapted to a wide range of operational requirements. The ability to develop such systems internally can also allow military organizations to respond more rapidly to evolving operational needs and technological developments.

For the Cyprus National Guard, the new laboratory represents an investment not only in unmanned systems but also in the development of domestic technical expertise and know-how. The initiative forms part of the broader effort to create a modern, technologically advanced and operationally flexible force capable of incorporating emerging technologies into its structure and capabilities.

The establishment of the sUAV/FPV Production Laboratory therefore represents an important element of the National Guard’s wider modernization effort, strengthening technological autonomy while supporting innovation and the development of indigenous expertise.

According to the National Guard, the initiative reflects its broader planning for a modern and technologically advanced force that invests in innovation and develops the capabilities required to respond effectively to the demands of the contemporary battlefield.