Certo SkyFalcon

Country of origin: UK
Built: Frome, Somerset, 2016
Manufacturer: Certo Aerospace
Engine: Rotron RT600-XE 100HP rotary petrol engine

Type: Uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) for load lifting

Note: Prototype inverted configuration unmanned aerial vehicle with coaxial contra-rotating rotors.

Details: The original engineering concept began around 2011 as SkyBike (a piloted coaxial flying motorcycle control system), which was subsequently converted into an uncrewed, inverted coaxial VTOL drone named SkyFalcon. It was designed to lift a 300lb / 150kg payload in a pannier on top of the fuselage with a speed of 60kts and 100 mile range. The unusual inverted saucer design has two 3-blade contra-rotating rotors mounted below a Rotron RT600-XE 100HP rotary petrol engine. For transport the structure can be taken apart and the blades folded inline. Design aims included ease of transport, assembly, operation and refueling in the field.

SkyFalcon was evaluated along with other VTOL unmanned drones, including the Mallory Aeronautics TRV-150 which uses electric motors, in a 3-year US Department of Defense Technology Demonstrator program [ULS-A JCTD]. The DoD wanted a drone that could lift 100 - 200 kg of critical supplies - such as water, food, and ammunition - to forward operating bases without putting human crews at risk in dangerous convoys or crewed helicopters. Following conclusion of the JCDT in 2021, only the TRV-150 was taken forward into the production phase.

Certo changed their UAV design to a more conventional helicopter arrangement with contra-rotating rotors on top of the fuselage allowing larger rotors, heavier loads and more scalability. Their Capstone UAV uses an Edge Performance EP917Ti four-stroke, turbocharged, petrol engine, and can carry a payload of 300kg with a range of up to 300miles. It is has been evaluated for a number of programs including the UK MoD uncrewed cargo and casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) initiative Project Morrighan published in 2025, and Royal Navy (RN)-funded anti-submarine warfare (ASW) demonstrations in February 2026.