Drones made in Greece: Which Greek companies are building the next generation of the defense industry?

This is not yet an industry that can cover all the needs of the Armed Forces on its own. However, there is something that was missing until a few years ago: Greek companies with real products, operational experience, exports and the ability to collaborate with large international groups.

And the latest agreement between ALTUS-ISA and the American Shield AI is perhaps the most characteristic example of this change.

The invitation of the Armed Forces and the crash test of Greek drones
Theory has now begun to be put into practice. At the beginning of the summer, the Greek Armed Forces, through the Hellenic Air Force, gave domestic companies the opportunity to present and test their technologies in real operational conditions, as part of the “Trojan Horse 2026” exercise, which took place from June 8 to 12.

UAVs, hovering munitions, anti-drone systems and other unmanned platforms were evaluated in the field, with the aim of determining which of the Greek systems can meet real military requirements. Companies such as Altus-lsa, SAS Technology, Ucandrone, Delian alliance industries, Velos Rotors and Sotiria Technology participated in the exercise, reflecting the breadth of the ecosystem that has begun to be created in Greece.

The message is clear: Greek companies are no longer just asking to present their drones, but to prove that they can operate together with the Armed Forces.

But who are the Greek “players” that have developed these technologies and are now claiming a role in the Armed Forces’ armament programs? The following image captures the most important companies and the solutions they have developed in recent years.

Altus: From Greece to the international market
Altus-lsa, based in Chania and present since 2011, is one of the most mature Greek companies in the UAV field. It has developed its own family of unmanned systems, including ATLAS and EDOMON, for surveillance, reconnaissance and information collection applications.

The company has developed international activity and is in a phase of production scaling. The most important news came at the end of July, when Altus-lsa signed a strategic agreement with Shield AI, aiming to integrate the Greek KMB Hunter and the M3NTOR command and control system into the American V-BAT and the Hivemind autonomy platform.

The agreement paves the way for the Greek company to international markets and is a typical example of the transition from the development of a domestic product to participation in an international defense technology ecosystem.

SAS technology: Heavy drones come into play
SAS technology has invested in heavy multirotor UAVs, with the EMPUSA family and SARISA as its main platforms.

The interest lies in the effort to transition from surveillance UAVs to armed systems. SARISA has been tested with guided munitions, while the company has also presented armed versions of the EMPUSA family.

Delian alliance industries: AI and autonomous systems
Delian alliance industries is moving towards the combination of artificial intelligence, sensors, software and autonomous systems for defense and surveillance applications.

It has developed autonomous surveillance and threat detection technologies, while at DEFEA 2025 it presented the Interceptigon family, autonomous systems designed to deal with aerial and maritime threats. The company is a typical example of the new generation of Greek startups that attempt to combine hardware and software.

Velos Rotors: Greek pilotless helicopters
Velos rotors, based in Xylokastro, manufactures unmanned electric helicopters and not the classic multirotor drones. Its main platform is the Velos V3, with the ability to carry cargo and utilize different sensors.

The company has also developed the V-TWIN, a larger tandem unmanned helicopter, expanding its capabilities for cargo transport, surveillance and military applications.

Sotiria Technology: Technology Below the Surface
Sotiria Technology is not just a UAV manufacturer. It is a deep-tech company that develops underwater intelligence systems, combining AI, sensors and software for defense and security applications.

With products such as Nereid and Dioptre, the company is moving into a crucial area of ​​the new ecosystem: the interconnection of sensors and unmanned systems and the exploitation of their data in real time.

Ucandrone: From commercial applications to defense
Ucandrone is one of the oldest Greek companies in the field of unmanned systems. Since 2013, it has been active in the design and production of UAS, with applications ranging from mapping and surveillance to defense.

In the defense sector, it has developed platforms such as AQUILA, MERA and BLACKBIRD, while its activity is now part of the broader ecosystem of the Efa Group.

Intracom Defense and the lotus program
Intracom Defense (IDE) also participates in the broader chain of Greek UAV technology, through the European LOTUS program. The goal is to develop a new generation of tactical UAVs with low observability characteristics and the ability to cooperate in swarms.

Participation in such European programs is of particular importance, as it gives Greek companies the opportunity to acquire know-how and access to larger international production chains.

EAB and ARCHYTAS: The state bet
The Greek aviation industry (EAB) cannot be missing in the field of Greek UAVs. ARCHYTAS is one of the most important domestic UAV development programs, aiming at a larger VTOL system for surveillance, reconnaissance missions and other operational applications.

The importance of the program also lies in the possibility of creating a production base around the UAV, from composite materials and electronics to sensors and software.

Aether Aeronautics: Target drones
Aether Aeronautics operates in a more specialized market, that of target drones, which are used to train air defense systems and simulate enemy threats.

The category is gaining in importance as the Armed Forces increasingly need more realistic tests against cheap UAVs and hovering munitions.

The real challenge is production
The Greek drone market is at a critical crossroads. The country will continue to need large and proven systems from abroad, as the choice of V-BAT to enhance maritime surveillance capabilities shows.

At the same time, however, the presence of Greek companies shows that there is now a basis for something bigger.

The goal is not to stop Greece from buying foreign drones. This would be unrealistic for a small country like Greece operating in a European and NATO environment. However, large procurements should act as a catalyst for domestic industry, so that Greek companies participate in co-productions, software development, support and, most importantly, exports.

If Greece manages to transform the current UAV ecosystem into extroverted defense enterprises with production at scale, then drones could be one of the first sectors where the country will not only be a buyer of defense technology, but also a producer and exporter.