Swiss company Xer Technologies launches X12 hybrid naval drone for naval surveillance and tactical resupply.

At Euronaval 2026 in Paris, Swiss manufacturer Xer Technologies AG introduced its updated X12 heavy-duty hybrid-electric naval drone. The 70 kg maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) VTOL multicopter combines a 30 kg payload capacity, 7+ hour flight endurance, and a heavy-fuel engine designed for shipboard integration without gasoline fire risks. Engineered for maritime ISR, electronic warfare, mine countermeasures, and tactical resupply, the platform extends operational observation up to 200 km from naval vessels.

The X12 is a Swiss hybrid-electric VTOL multicopter designed for shipboard maritime surveillance, electronic warfare, mine detection, and military resupply, with a 30 kg maximum payload, an endurance exceeding seven hours, and surveillance extending up to 200 km. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Key tactical insights

• Endurance & Payload: Delivers up to 7+ hours of flight time and supports up to 30 kg of sensor or logistics cargo (a 50% payload increase over the 2021 concept model).

• Speed & Reach: Operates at cruising speeds up to 72 km/h (38.9 knots) with an operational altitude ceiling of 4,000 m and mission radii covering up to 200 km.

• Shipboard Integration: Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) enables deployment from tight vessel decks in under three minutes.

• Multi-Mission Payloads: Integrates maritime radar, EO/IR cameras, SIGINT/direction finders, LiDAR, and magnetic anomaly detectors for mine countermeasures.

• MUM-T & Resupply: Validated for heavy logistics/resupply and serving as an airborne mothership to deploy smaller uncrewed assets in Manned-Unmanned Teaming scenarios.

On November 3, 2026, the Swiss company Xer Technologies AG unveiled its new heavy-duty hybrid-electric unmanned aerial system (UAS), the X12 multicopter, at Euronaval 2026 in Paris, which was optimized for naval surveillance, electronic warfare, mine countermeasures, and tactical resupply. The drone combines a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 70 kg, a payload capacity of 30 kg, twelve electrically driven propellers, and up to 7 hours of continuous flight time, compared with four hours for the original X12 model introduced in October 2021. Its heavy-fuel and dual-fuel engine is optimized for naval logistics where gasoline is restricted due to vessel fire safety, while vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) enables operations from confined ship decks.

With a maximum airspeed of 72 km/h, an operating altitude reaching 4,000 m, and surveillance applications targeting a 200 km radius, the X12 can carry maritime radar, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras, and signals intelligence (SIGINT) equipment. The Swiss subsidiary of Sweden-listed Xer Tech Holding AB has already demonstrated military resupply and is validating smaller-UAV deployment and manned-unmanned teaming. The X12 uses six carbon-fiber radial arms, each supporting two coaxially mounted electric motors, with twelve propellers controlled independently through electronic speed controllers. The earlier X12 model measured 248 cm across and 75 cm high, with a 67 kg MTOW, 20 kg payload capacity, and twelve motors weighing 5 kg collectively while producing up to 15 kW.

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Its carbon-composite central hub incorporated a star-shaped internal framework distributing rotor loads, with avionics and batteries above an isolated engine compartment, forward payload mounts, and fuel tanks integrated into landing-gear pontoons to lower the center of gravity. Folding arms lock without tools, while earlier safety equipment included a pyrotechnically deployed parachute and optional LiDAR obstacle detection reaching 200 m. The 2026 configuration increases the MTOW by only 4.5%, but the maximum payload by 50%, raising the payload-to-MTOW ratio from 29.9% to 42.9%. Carrying the full 30 kg therefore leaves 40 kg for the structure, propulsion system, batteries, fuel, avionics, and other equipment, although revised structural mass, rotor specifications, and fuel capacity have not been established.

The original X12's propulsion system combined a 170 cm³ two-stroke boxer engine with a 7.2 kW Sullivan/Acutronic alternator delivering up to 6.5 kW, compared with 120 cm³ and 5 kW on the smaller X8. Its twelve electric motors could collectively produce 15 kW, exceeding generator output by 8.5 kW and requiring battery assistance during higher-power flight conditions. Sustaining that difference for ten minutes would consume 1.42 kWh before electrical losses, illustrating the distinction between maximum motor output and continuous generator-supported flight. Electrical currents reached 70-160 A, with solid-state IGBT switching, battery charging, and engine controls managing generator loading, crankshaft speed, cylinder-head temperature, and exhaust-gas temperature. Forced-air and optional liquid cooling addressed heat accumulation during stationary hover, while vibration isolation protected electrical connections and avionics.

The earlier configuration also provided at least 500 W of surplus electrical power for mission equipment under suitable operating conditions. The revised engine accepts heavy fuel and petrol without hardware changes, which allows the 2026 variant to run on standard naval heavy fuels (like JP-5 or F-44), making it operationally viable for shipboard integration. The X12's maximum airspeed of 72 km/h, equivalent to 38.9 knots, creates a measurable trade-off between surveillance radius and time available over a target area. Its specifications distinguish a radius exceeding 50 km from the ground-control station, a separate figure exceeding 150 km, and surveillance applications extending to 200 km, without establishing identical communications or fuel conditions.

At 72 km/h, round-trip flights to distances of 50, 100, 150, and 200 km require 83, 167, 250, and 333 minutes, respectively, leaving 337, 253, 170, and 87 minutes from a seven-hour flight budget before reserves, wind, and maneuvering. A 200 km mission consequently consumes 79.4% of nominal endurance in transit, compared with 59.5% at 150 km. The earlier X12 could maintain position in winds reaching 18 m/s, or 35 knots, while the updated aircraft retains a -20°C to +45°C temperature envelope. Folding arms and a deployment time below three minutes facilitate shipboard launch, although revised wind limits and permissible deck motion remain unconfirmed. Beyond the original 15 km minimum-range 2.4 GHz control link, longer-distance operations require suitable military RF, satellite, or other communications links.

For SIGINT and counter-UAV missions, the X12 can combine radio-frequency direction finders, cellular detectors, EO/IR cameras, and airborne radar, with a specified SIGINT detection range reaching 100 km in selected configurations. Direction-finding equipment supports emitter localization using successive bearings, including transmissions from 2.4 GHz UAV links, military radios, and cellular equipment transmitting IMSI or IMEI identifiers. Counter-UAV functions combine RF detection, geographic localization, optical identification, tracking, and classification, with countermeasure integration remaining optional. At 4,000 m altitude, the geometric line-of-sight horizon to sea level reaches 226 km, compared with 35.7 km at 100 m, although actual reception depends on antenna gain, signal strength, propagation, and interference. Onboard sensor fusion and autonomous guidance are supported by ground-control software providing live imagery, emitter positions, alerts, and mission planning.

Communications options include encrypted military RF links, dual-link configurations, SATCOM, and cellular networks, while STANAG 4817-compatible command interfaces, STANAG 4609-compatible video, and alternative navigation solutions allow the X12 to stream telemetry and ISR sensor feeds directly into naval Combat Information Centers (CICs) or serve as a communications relay/mothership for smaller assets. For mine countermeasures, the X12 can carry magnetometers, magnetic anomaly detection equipment, LiDAR, EO/IR cameras, and high-resolution imaging sensors to survey suspected explosive hazards. Specified coverage for Xer's drones reaches 50,000 to 150,000 m² per operating hour, equivalent to 5 to 15 hectares, meaning a 1 km² area requires 6 hours 40 minutes to 20 hours of surveying before transit, overlapping passes, or repeat inspections.

A smaller 500 m by 500 m sector would require 1 hour 40 minutes to five hours under the same conditions. Processing combines georeferenced magnetic anomalies, imagery, estimated object dimensions, and AI-assisted classification to identify locations requiring further investigation. Maritime configurations now include a mine-detection depth figure reaching 25 m, while the proposed subsurface-surveillance concept includes a 200 m depth figure for submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles. Magnetic detection depends on metallic mass, sensor separation, and background interference, whereas LiDAR performance depends on water clarity, making these depth figures unsuitable as universal detection limits.

The X12's 30 kg maximum payload also permits tactical transport of ammunition, medical supplies, batteries, or communications equipment, including the weight of attachment and release mechanisms. Earlier development incorporated suspended-load hooks, with cargo oscillation, vibration, and center-of-gravity movement requiring particular attention during flight. Military resupply has been demonstrated, while smaller-UAV deployment and manned-unmanned teaming remain under validation, including the need to manage aircraft separation, communications, and changing mass after release.

Compared with the X8 PRO, which has a 34 kg MTOW, 10 kg payload limit, and endurance reaching 3.5 hours, the X12 offers three times the maximum payload and targets more than twice the endurance, despite both aircraft sharing a 72 km/h maximum airspeed. Its MTOW increases by 105.9%, but its payload fraction rises from 29.4% to 42.9%, providing greater mass allowance for radar, SIGINT equipment, or cargo. These maximum figures do not establish seven-hour endurance with 30 kg aboard, since fuel load, sensor power consumption, and flight conditions determine the achievable mission duration.

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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, South Korea, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.