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Brazil conducts first flight of Albatroz Vortex jet-powered drone to test domestic ATJR 15-5 turbine.
The Albatroz Vortex unmanned aerial vehicle completed its first flight using a Brazilian-developed ATJR 15-5 jet turbine during testing at Santa Cruz Air Base.
On January 22, 2026, Stella Tecnologia announced the first confirmed flight of a Brazilian unmanned aerial vehicle powered by a domestically developed jet turbine. The Albatroz Vortex flew on December 17, 2025, from Santa Cruz Air Base in Rio de Janeiro using the ATJR 15-5 turbine produced by Aero Concepts. The flight validated in-flight integration of the propulsion system under a cooperation agreement with the Brazilian Ministry of Defense and Air Force.
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The flight focused on validating the turbine operation under real flight conditions and confirming the functional integration between the propulsion system and the aircraft, an essential step for jet-powered UAVs in this weight category. (Picture source: Stella Tecnologia)
The Albatroz Vortex unmanned aerial vehicle completed its first test flight at Santa Cruz Air Base in Rio de Janeiro with a jet turbine developed entirely in Brazil, marking the first confirmed flight of a Brazilian-made drone with a domestically developed jet propulsion system, even though this title could be disputed by the ATD-150 target drone from Nest Design Aerospace. The flight itself took place on December 17, 2025, and validated the integration between the drone developed by Stella Tecnologia and the ATJR 15-5 jet turbine produced by Aero Concepts. The test was conducted with the support of the Ministry of Defense and the Brazilian Air Force under a technology development cooperation and partnership agreement signed in November 2025, which covers the research, development, and production of propulsion systems with thrust levels of up to 5,000 N for unmanned aerial vehicles aligned with Brazilian Air Force requirements.
The flight focused on validating the turbine operation under real flight conditions and confirming the functional integration between the propulsion system and the aircraft, an essential step for jet-powered UAVs in this weight category. Conducted at a Brazilian Air Force base in Rio de Janeiro, the test verified that the air intake, mounting, interfaces, and propulsion-related systems operated together during flight rather than only in ground testing. The flight, therefore, served as the first practical application of the November 2025 cooperation framework to a complete air vehicle. It also established a baseline for subsequent testing activities planned under the same agreement. The thrust-development ceiling of 5,000 N defined in the agreement places the ATJR 15-5 as an initial, lower-thrust step within a broader propulsion development effort.
The Albatroz Vortex is a jet-powered variant of Stella Tecnologia’s Albatroz unmanned aerial system, which had already reached a mature technical state before the integration of jet propulsion. The Albatroz has a maximum take-off weight of about 150 kg and is positioned in a tactical UAV category where propulsion integration and airframe efficiency are significant design factors. The incorporation of a jet propulsion also expands the flight envelope by enabling higher speeds and operation at greater altitudes, compared with piston engines. The Albatroz lineage also includes earlier systems such as the Atobá and the conventional Albatroz, forming the technical background from which Albatroz Vortex was developed, as this airframe was selected for its reliability and suitability for propulsion integration trials.
The propulsion system used during the flight was the ATJR 15-5, a jet turbine developed entirely by Aero Concepts at its facilities in São José dos Campos, São Paulo. The turbine delivers 500 N of thrust and represents the first jet turbine developed in Brazil to operate in flight while integrated into an unmanned aircraft. Its development covered market analysis, design, prototype manufacturing, bench testing, and subsequent flight validation using company resources. The December flight, therefore, closed the loop between conceptual design and operational flight use and commercialisation. In parallel, Aero Concepts maintains a family of turbines spanning thrust levels from 500 N to 5,000 N, intended for different classes of unmanned platforms.
Beyond propulsion integration, the Albatroz Vortex retains the general characteristics of the Albatroz, with a length of 4 m, a wingspan of 7 m, and a payload capacity ranging from 5 kg to 30 kg depending on configuration. The endurance of the gasoline engine variant could reach up to 24 hours, with a data link range between 150 km and 250 km. Like similar drones, the Albatroz is designed to operate from unprepared runways shorter than 150 m as well as from aircraft carriers. In its turbine-powered configuration, the Albatroz Vortex could reach a top speed of about 250 km/h, twice as fast as the 120 km/h cruising speed achieved by the piston version. Earlier Albatroz versions used a modified 215 hp Desert Aircraft DA215 twin-cylinder two-stroke engine, which accumulated about 50 flight hours before the transition to jet propulsion.
The integration of the ATJR 15-5 into the Albatroz airframe was the result of a cooperation effort formalized in 2024, when Stella Tecnologia and AERO Concepts began joint work on propulsion adaptation and test planning. This cooperation included defining the test strategy and modifying the air vehicle to accept the jet turbine. The propulsion system is also part of a hybrid propulsion development project supported by FINEP, reinforcing the industrial partnership between the two companies. The arrangement combines Stella Tecnologia’s unmanned aircraft experience with AERO Concepts’ propulsion development activities. Together, these efforts are oriented toward addressing both civil and military requirements, including potential national and international applications.
From an operational and engineering perspective, the use of jet turbines means higher achievable speeds, improved performance at higher altitudes, higher thrust levels, and lower vibration when compared with conventional engines. These characteristics also affect efficiency, range, and structural loading, influencing how unmanned aircraft can be designed and employed. In the Albatroz Vortex program, jet propulsion is intended to broaden the range of achievable flight conditions rather than replace existing unmanned aircraft types. The ATJR 15-5 thus serves as a demonstrator for propulsion concepts that can be scaled across the wider turbine family.
Following the inaugural flight, the Albatroz Vortex is set to continue with progressive testing focused on expanding the flight envelope, evaluating performance parameters, and consolidating overall system behavior. These tests are intended to refine both the unmanned aircraft configuration and the propulsion system through additional flight hours. In parallel, Aero Concepts is consolidating domestic production processes for jet turbines, including access to strategic raw materials and reduced external dependencies. The stated objective is to establish full manufacturing capability for small jet turbines within Brazil, with potential applications across Brazil's Navy, Army, and Air Force requirements. At the same time, Stella Tecnologia continues flight testing of Albatroz Vortex to mature onboard systems and stabilize the airframe configuration for sustained operational use.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.