Australia is expanding its military drone capabilities beyond surveillance and combat to include maritime logistics. In a first, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in mid-2025 tested the Callisto 50 uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to showcase a transformative approach to maritime resupply.
The domestically developed drone delivered a 6-kilogram, 3D-printed component from shore to the RAN landing ship HMAS Choules, traveling 6.5 kilometers in about eight minutes, according to Australia’s Defence Department.
“Uncrewed systems are cheaper to operate and can do so in a greater range of RADHAZ [radiation hazards] and sea states that crewed systems may be restricted from,” Cmdr. Andrew Watson, project leader, said in a news release. “It confirms our proof of concept and makes way for systems that will carry more and go greater distances.”
The Callisto 50 integrates avionics and other features tailored for naval operations, including a SHIP-OPS flight mode that enables precise operations using remote beacons aboard vessels. The drone completed deck landings in wind speeds of about 55 kilometers, said Ken King, CEO of manufacturer Freespace Operations.
“SHIP-OPS procedures ensured stable approaches, sequencing through defined hold and hover points before descent,” he told FORUM.
The Callisto 50 has a payload capacity of 26 kilograms and a range of 35 kilometers, King said, and Freespace is developing a model to operate up to 3.5 hours over an extended radius. Future iterations are expected to incorporate hybrid-electric propulsion and autonomous features for enhanced range and resilience.
The trial during the Australia-U.S. biennial exercise Talisman Sabre, which drew more than 40,000 personnel from 19 nations for drills across Australia and Papua New Guinea, also highlighted the RAN’s ability to leverage distributed manufacturing. The delivered component was 3D printed at the Deployable Additive Manufacturing and Repair Capability unit in Gladstone in eastern Australia.
Such technologies have broader operational implications, said Dr. Oleksandra Molloy, a senior lecturer in aviation safety at the University of New South Wales Canberra. “Drones provide a fast, safe and cost-effective option for moving small but critical items between vessels — things like spare parts, medical supplies or mission-essential electronics,” Molloy told FORUM. “By reducing reliance on boats or helicopters for light loads, drones lower risk to our people, increase operational flexibility and help ships remain on task longer.
“From a resource perspective, UAS represent a significantly lower acquisition and through-life sustainment cost, while also requiring a reduced logistics footprint and crew complement,” she said.
While not a replacement for bulk resupply operations, drones complement traditional logistics through enhanced endurance and force dispersion, particularly in contested maritime environments. As geopolitical tensions increase across the Indo-Pacific, Allies and Partners increasingly are incorporating uncrewed logistics systems.
“Agile, real-world experimentation is vital,” Molloy said. “It allows us to move quickly from concept to capability, identify practical challenges, and refine how new technologies integrate with existing operations.”
