Edinburgh Drone Company (EDC)
Edinburgh Drone Company (EDC) will launch HAMMER, its latest fixed-wing one-way effector unmanned aircraft system (UAS), at an exclusive press and stakeholder event in Scotland on January 23, 2026.
The event will be hosted at EDC’s manufacturing and test facility at Unit B, Spittalrigg Farm, Haddington, EH41 3SU, running from 1200–1530, with lunch and drinks provided.
HAMMER is a UK-manufactured one-way effector platform developed to support UK and allied operational requirements, delivering a rapidly scalable capability aligned to national resilience and sovereign defense-industrial priorities. The aircraft is designed to provide stand-off range, precision effects delivery, and operational flexibility while remaining manufacturable at pace through a UK-based supply chain.
HAMMER Platform Overview
• 2m-class fixed-wing one-way effector aircraft, engineered for contested environments
• Payload capacity: up to 2.5kg effects payload
• Configurations: 20km standard and 50km extended-range upgrade package
• Designed for stand-off employment and enhanced operator safety via increased launch distance
HAMMER has been designed to be a simple, effective, and manufacturable tool—an attritable, operationally relevant platform that can be scaled through a UK supply chain without unnecessary complexity.
By prioritizing mission focus and design-for-manufacture, EDC states that HAMMER is up to £100,000 lower cost than comparable solutions currently offered by European defense startups, while maintaining the range and payload capacity required for stand-off employment.
UK Joint Manufacturing Hub & SME Supply Chain
HAMMER is being produced through a UK joint manufacturing hub developed by EDC in partnership with Aero Solutions Ltd, supported by a growing network of UK SME engineering and manufacturing partners.
This approach is designed to deliver a resilient UK production pathway capable of rapid iteration, accelerated build rates, and responsive upgrades, enabling EDC to scale output and meet high-tempo procurement and operational demand.
Effects Integration & Safety Partnership — Blast Designs Solutions (BDS)
EDC has partnered with Blast Designs Solutions (BDS) as its effects integration and explosive safety partner, supporting the development of a safe arming mechanism and a custom munition designed specifically for the HAMMER platform.
BDS has been established in Scotland for over 30 years, bringing deep experience in explosive engineering and safety assurance. Working in cooperation with EDC, the partnership ensures HAMMER’s munition integration is underpinned by a robust safety-led design approach aligned with modern defense requirements.
“HAMMER represents the next step in EDC’s mission to deliver a genuinely UK-built capability that is designed for one purpose — operational relevance,” says Ross Laing, Director, Edinburgh Drone Company (EDC). “This platform has been engineered from the ground up as a one-way effector aircraft, with a clear focus on range, payload, and manufacturability at scale. We’ve deliberately built HAMMER to be simple and cost-effective — up to £100,000 lower than comparable European start-up offerings — while remaining mission-ready. With over eight years of UAS development and production experience, we believe this is a landmark moment for Scotland’s defence manufacturing base and for the UK’s ability to generate sovereign capability at pace.”
“This program is about building a practical UK manufacturing pathway for a capability that modern defense forces increasingly require — fast, scalable, and mission-ready,” says Stewart Clifford, Aero Solutions Ltd. “Our joint manufacturing hub with EDC is structured to enable repeatable production, continuous improvement, and rapid integration of additional UK SME capacity. With partners like Blast Designs Solutions supporting effects integration and safety systems, we’re demonstrating a complete UK-led capability pathway. HAMMER demonstrates what is possible when UK industry collaborates to deliver capability with speed and purpose.”