Honeywell and Odys Aviation Team on Counter-UAS Defense

Honeywell Aerospace and Odys Aviation have collaborated to provide consistent airborne defense against growing numbers of uncrewed aircraft systems (UASs). Honeywell combines its defense-oriented systems expertise with the advanced hybrid-electric, vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) technology developed by Odys Aviation.

The two companies have already invested more than a year on developing Honeywell Aerospace’s Stationary and Mobile UAS Reveal and Intercept (SAMURAI) autonomous airborne platform for deployment on Odys's Laila long-range uncrewed aircraft vehicle (see image above).

Combining the SAMURAI and Laila systems provides a new defensive layer between ground-based sensors and high-end missile defense systems, extremely valuable for protecting distributed energy infrastructure across remote areas.

According to Matt Milas, president, Defense and Space, Honeywell Aerospace, “SAMURAI delivers critical counter-UAS capabilities with proven reliability, scalability, and seamless integration into existing defense architectures.”

He added, “By leveraging Honeywell’s long history in avionics, sensors, and defense systems, we are enabling C-UAS capabilities that protect farther, respond faster, and operate with minimal downtime.

James Dorris, CEO of Odys Aviation, noted, “Drone threats have fundamentally changed the economics and operational requirements of air defense. By combining Honeywell’s SAMURAI system with the endurance, runway independence, and onboard power capability of Laila, we're introducing a new airborne defense layer designed for today and into the future.”

Laila is the first airborne application of the SAMURAI system. It features a hybrid propulsion system that's compatible with Jet A, Jet A-1, and JP-8 fuels and generates enough power for a flight time of eight hours across a 450-mile range.