EDGE Unveils First UAE-made Family of Smart Loitering Munitions at IDEX 2021
21.2.2021 19:08:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release
EDGE, an advanced technology group for defence and beyond, today launches its first family of multirotor loitering munitions, the QX range. In addition, Shadow 50 and Shadow 25, Rash 2 gliding munition kit, as well as new variants of the RW24 range – all designed and manufactured in the company’s first year of operations – were unveiled on the first day of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2021), that is underway at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until 25 February.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210221005030/en/
EDGE launches QX range- its first family of multirotor loitering munitions (Photo: AETOSWire)
The unveiling of the Class-1 electric unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) took place at the EDGE pavilion in the presence of His Excellency Faisal Al Bannai, CEO and Managing Director of EDGE and Ali Al Yafei, CEO of ADASI.
His Excellency Faisal Al Bannai, CEO & Managing Director, EDGE, said: “Right now, drone technology is revolutionising our world with the full potential of unmanned and autonomous capabilities still to be further explored – not just in the military sector, but the commercial sector too.”
He added: “Through launching the first UAE-made family of smart loitering drones, EDGE marks a significant milestone as a key technology enabler and in boosting the country’s autonomous capabilities and AI integration. With the future increasingly relying on unmanned systems that provide a higher degree of tactical flexibility, we have invested extensively to fast-track R&D investments in these domains, bringing related products to market with speed.”
The QX family of loitering munitions comprises four products: QX-1, a micro-UAV, QX-2, a mini-UAV, QX-3, a small UAV, and QX-4, which features an impressive vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fixed wing. The precision-guided systems use sophisticated AI algorithms to target and strike, boasting an accuracy of 1 m CEP (circular error probable) – with an aim similar to laser guided munitions. Built to launch in any environment or terrain, the entire QX family of UAVs are lightweight, man portable, and comprise VTOL capabilities.
The second range of loitering munitions consists of Shadow 50 and Shadow 25. As the name implies, Shadow 50 can carry a payload of 50kg – exactly double its counterpart. Shadow 25 is a high-speed system equipped with a jet engine and boasts a short reaction time. Delivering high precision strike against fixed targets and advanced guidance capabilities, these UAVs leverage Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and can fly using video navigation systems in GPS denied Environment.
Also launched on Day 1 of IDEX, the Rash 2 is a fixed-wing guidance kit for mortars and other in-house designed payloads, capable of gliding in flight and directing munitions to ground targets, available in different sizes to accommodate varying payload capacity, range, and endurance. ADASI has secured AED 55 million contract to supply Rash 2 to the UAE Armed Forces, marking the first order of the newly launched product.
Three new additions to the RW-24 range were also launched in time for IDEX 2021. The newly unveiled RW-24 Seeker is equipped with a thermal automatic seeker that enable greater accuracy of engagement of moving targets and increased functionality within GPS-denied environments.
The RW-24 Extended Warhead and RW-24 Extended Range variants increase the payload capacity from 8 kg to 13 kg, enabling the drone to carry additional fuel or to increase the size of the warhead.
EDGE is an advanced technology group that ranks among the top 25 military suppliers in the world.
About EDGE
EDGE is an advanced technology group established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond. Enabling a secure future, it is dedicated to bringing innovative technologies and services to market with greater speed and efficiency. Consolidating over 25 entities and employing more than 13,000 brilliant minds, it offers expertise across five core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Cyber Defence, Electronic Warfare & Intelligence and Mission Support. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, EDGE is a catalyst for change – set to revolutionise the industry and change its fundamentals.
*Source: AETOSWire
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210221005030/en/
Contact information
Thushara Mohanan
media@edgegroup.ae
+971-555080413/ +971-55-3584520
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Nexo Reaffirms EU Compliance28.7.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
Nexo, a leading digital assets wealth platform, today reaffirmed product compliance across the European Economic Area (EEA), achieved ahead of MiCAR’s entry into force. The company operates with a local setup through two MiCAR-licensed partners bringing technical depth and operational maturity to Nexo's client-facing platform in the region. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260728038475/en/ Nexo's setup pairs its global wealth platform with dedicated, licensed European infrastructure — splitting custody and brokerage across two regulated partners: Tangany, licensed under MiCAR, provides institutional-grade custody infrastructure for digital assets. Meanwhile, DLT Finance, licensed under MiCAR and authorized under MiFID II, provides brokerage infrastructure for digital assets and financial instruments. Together, these partnerships pair Nexo’s global wealth platform with infrastructure specifically built for Europ
Interactive Brokers Opens AI Connectivity to Any Tool Built on the MCP Standard28.7.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR), an automated global broker, today announced that clients can now connect their accounts to nearly any AI tool they already use. Previously limited to the certified marketplaces for ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok, clients can now also connect from a growing range of tools that support the Model Context Protocol (MCP), including Claude Code, Cursor, Perplexity, and Windsurf. MCP has become the common standard for connecting AI applications to outside services. Interactive Brokers' AI Integration has been built on MCP since launch, and clients can now connect from any MCP-compatible tool in addition to the certified marketplaces. “Interactive Brokers has long offered open APIs that let clients connect their accounts to the tools and systems they choose,” said Milan Galik, Chief Executive Officer of Interactive Brokers. “Supporting AI tools built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a natural extension of that philosophy. It gives clients the flexibility to
Estée Lauder Announces New Fragrance, Glimmer, with Global Campaign Starring Hailee Steinfeld28.7.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
Today, Estée Lauder announces the launch of Glimmer, a new prestige fragrance created for a new generation of consumers. An amber floral fragrance with a gourmand twist, Glimmer transforms the power of everyday "glimmers” - small moments of joy, hope, and connection - into a sensorial fragrance experience designed to inspire optimism, foster community, and leave a lasting impression. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260727469772/en/ Hailee Steinfeld stars as the face of Glimmer Acclaimed actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld stars as the face of Glimmer. Rooted in the belief that one spark can ignite many, the campaign positions Hailee and her singing voice as catalysts for the joy, optimism, and connection that are at the heart of Glimmer. “Hailee is the embodiment of what Glimmer represents; she is confident, has a contagious sense of joy, and understands the power of connecting with her community,” said Justin
Mindbreeze InSpire Reduces Token Maxxing, Turning Runaway AI Costs Into Predictable Enterprise Value28.7.2026 16:03:00 EEST | Press release
Mindbreeze, a leading global provider of AI-based knowledge management solutions, today announced that Mindbreeze InSpire reduces token maxxing, the costly overconsumption of large language model (LLM) tokens that is straining enterprise AI budgets. By retrieving only the most relevant, grounded content and passing it to LLMs with precision, Mindbreeze InSpire lowers the tokens required per answer while improving accuracy, giving enterprises a path to scalable AI with predictable economics. Token maxxing has become one of the most underestimated risks in enterprise AI. As organizations connect generative AI to their data, many default to injecting large volumes of undifferentiated context into every prompt, repeatedly, across thousands of queries. Industry analysis has warned that tokens are becoming the true unit of AI cost, with usage-driven and nonlinear spending that is difficult to forecast and quick to erode margins. The problem is rarely the model. It is what the model is asked
Uptime Institute 16 th Annual 2026 Global Data Center Survey: Deployment of High Density Racks Rising Fast, Operators Face Continued Recruiting and Retention Pressures28.7.2026 16:02:00 EEST | Press release
Uptime Institute today released the findings of its 16th Annual Global Data Center Survey, the most comprehensive study of the digital infrastructure sector. The 2026 results reveal an industry navigating workforce constraints, escalating outage expenses, even as rising costs remain the top concern for management teams. Financial Pressure and Resource Constraints Intensify: While high costs continue to be a primary concern for data center leaders, the 2026 survey also highlights escalating concerns over capacity forecasting, power availability, and supply chain disruptions. Power efficiency gains remain gradual. The industry saw minor improvements in average Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) levels this year. While newer facilities may boast highly efficient designs, overall global progress is slowed by legacy infrastructure. The AI and Density Reality Check: Despite market enthusiasm for Artificial Intelligence, expectations for AI in data center operations cooled slightly in 2026. Oper
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom