The Czech Republic is stepping deeper into the counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) arena with TRL Drones’ new fixed-wing interceptor designed to hunt drones in contested airspace.
The interceptor, named TRL X, features a modular design and a 1.74-meter (5.7-foot) wingspan, with a 10-kilogram (22-pound) payload capacity for mission-specific configurations.
It can cruise at 450 kilometers (280 miles) per hour and sprint past 500 kilometers (310 miles) per hour, allowing it to keep pace with high-speed targets.
In terms of endurance, the system can stay airborne for 45 minutes and has a range beyond 200 kilometers (125 miles), with a ceiling of around 4,500 meters (14,800 feet).
Built for rapid deployment, the TRL X can engage threats ranging from small quadcopters to low-flying manned helicopters using kinetic or non-kinetic effects.
AI-Driven Targeting
The interceptor’s headline feature is an integrated AI guidance suite that can detect and track targets even in electronically degraded environments, enabling faster reaction times and more reliable intercepts.
Revealed at UMEX 2026, TRL Drones also highlighted the TRL X’s catapult launch system, which supports rapid fielding from austere or forward locations.
According to the company, the platform could later be adapted for air-to-ground missions, including loitering munition-style intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance roles.
“In the world of drones, it’s always ‘day one’. What you developed and programmed yesterday may not be enough today. That’s why we’re so excited to present our latest jet and interceptor right now in Abu Dhabi,” the company stated.
“Because these are cutting-edge technologies. Fast, intuitive, tailor-made for modern defense capabilities. So day one is just symbolic of what we experience every day in the office and every day in the air when we test the best we can develop.”
