Denmark Unveils HD-606 Heavy Drone Armed with Twin .50 Cal Gun at Enforce Tac 2026.

Danish firm Hecto Drone has introduced the HD-606 heavy unmanned aerial system, armed with a twin-mounted .50-caliber DCR-50 weapon system, at Enforce Tac 2026 in Germany. The platform signals a shift in tactical drone design by bringing helicopter-class direct-fire capability into the multi-rotor UAS segment, with implications for close-combat and force-protection missions.

Hecto Drone of Denmark has unveiled the HD-606 heavy unmanned aerial system, equipped with a twin-mounted .50-caliber DCR-50 weapon system, a configuration that Army Recognition assesses as the first operational heavy multi-rotor drone to field .50-caliber firepower. Displayed at Enforce Tac 2026 in Germany, the platform combines large-caliber direct-fire capability with the extended endurance typical of heavy-lift UAS designs. By integrating stabilized precision weapons onto a multi-rotor airframe, the HD-606 effectively bridges the gap between small armed drones and traditional attack helicopters. The result is a system positioned for high-intensity tactical environments where persistent overwatch and immediate suppressive fire are critical.
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Danish HD-606 heavy UAS armed with twin .50 cal DCR-50 machine guns displayed at Enforce Tac 2026 in Germany, marking the first heavy drone configured with large-caliber direct fire capability. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

According to ARG (Army Recognition Group) analysis, while multiple drones have been adapted to carry light machine guns or rocket systems, no previously documented heavy multi-rotor UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) has been purpose-built around a stabilized twin .50 cal configuration with integrated recoil mitigation. This distinction places the HD-606 in a new capability category between loitering munitions and manned attack helicopters.

The DCR-50, developed jointly with Danish Company SAI, Small Arms Industries, consists of two semi-automatic .50 caliber machine guns mounted in a twin configuration. The complete system weighs 23.6 kg, including its electric interface, and is fed by two 10-round magazines. It operates at 25 rds/min, prioritizing controlled, deliberate engagement over suppressive fire. A key innovation is the recoiling reload mechanism, designed to significantly reduce the recoil forces transmitted to the airframe. Recoil management has historically been a limiting factor for mounting large-caliber weapons on rotary UAS platforms, and this technical solution enables stable firing without compromising flight control authority.

The HD-606 is engineered for heavy-lift and endurance. The platform can carry 50 kg for 30 min or 25 kg for more than 3 h, allowing mission planners to balance payload weight against loiter time. This makes the system suitable for armed overwatch, anti-vehicle interdiction, engagement of fortified positions, or high-value asset protection missions. With a maximum speed of 20 m/s (72 km/h or 38 kts), the drone can reposition rapidly while maintaining persistent coverage.

Power architecture is built around a 48 V system with six motors and dual generators delivering a continuous output of 14,000 W. The two-generator configuration ensures redundancy for critical operations, reducing the risk of total power loss during armed missions. The generators offer a time between overhauls of 200 h, and the system integrates a 10 Ah battery to support limited battery-only flight. Payload interfaces provide up to 1,500 W via Amass XT90 connectors, enabling modular integration of sensors, targeting systems, or alternative mission equipment.

Structurally, the carbon fiber airframe is rated for operations between −20 °C and +40 °C and can withstand wind speeds up to 15 m/s. The entire system is van-transportable, reducing logistical footprint and enabling discreet deployment by special operations forces, border security units, or rapid response elements.

Operationally, the combination of heavy endurance and twin .50 cal precision fire introduces a new tactical tool. The .50-cal round remains one of the most effective anti-materiel calibers for turning off light armored vehicles, technicals, radar systems, communications nodes, and fortified firing points. Integrating this capability onto a reusable UAS provides persistent standoff firepower without risking pilots or committing high-value rotary-wing assets.

From a strategic standpoint, this development signals a broader shift in how militaries may distribute firepower across the battlefield. Rather than concentrating heavy direct fire exclusively on manned platforms, armed heavy UAS such as the HD-606 allow decentralization of precision anti-materiel capability down to smaller units. This supports the distributed operations doctrine increasingly adopted by NATO forces.

In the assessment of Army Recognition, the emergence of a heavy drone armed with twin .50 cal machine guns represents a notable inflection point in UAS weaponization. The controlled 25 rds/min rate of fire indicates a precision engagement philosophy rather than area suppression, suggesting doctrinal evolution toward surgical, scalable force application from unmanned platforms.

From an editorial perspective, this development illustrates how rapidly the boundary between traditional air combat systems and unmanned platforms is eroding. What was once the exclusive domain of helicopter gunships is now migrating into modular, van-transportable UAS architectures. If validated through operational testing, systems like the HD-606 could redefine tactical fire support concepts, particularly for forces seeking high-impact capability without the financial and political cost of deploying manned attack aviation.

The long-term impact will depend on targeting integration, fire control stabilization, survivability in contested electromagnetic environments, and export adoption. However, by introducing what ARG identifies as the first heavy drone armed with twin .50-cal machine guns, Hecto Drone has positioned itself at the forefront of the evolution of armed UAS.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.