The UK Royal Navy has executed a supply transfer between its warships using a British-manufactured Malloy T-150 quadcopter for the first time, during a 2025 Indo-Pacific mission.
Operation Highmast is the designation for the UK Carrier Strike Group’s eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.
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The Malloy T-150, designed by Malloy Aeronautics, autonomously flew from the flagship HMS Prince of Wales to the HMS Dauntless, as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group.
It transported essential items such as spare and repair parts over a distance of just over a mile.
Upon nearing its destination, crews aboard HMS Dauntless took control of the drone to steer it onto the flight deck for a secure landing.
The trial seeks to offer a cost-effective and efficient substitute for helicopter or boat deliveries, allowing these assets to concentrate on operational duties.
This initiative is in line with the Royal Navy’s ambition to outfit its Queen Elizabeth-class carriers with “versatile” air wings that include advanced drones.
It also aligns with Royal Navy’s objectives set forth in the UK’s Strategic Defence Review.
UK Carrier Strike Group Air Group commander captain Colin McGannity said: “This milestone in the Malloy trials is a step toward the vision of a fully integrated hybrid carrier air wing. By taking some of the logistics burden, Malloy will allow our naval helicopters to concentrate on their core outputs, while delivering, rapid, more efficient resupply across the whole Strike Group.
“The really exciting bit is that we then plan to incorporate these lessons to be able to use UAVs for many other roles, including options for warfighting.”
The Malloy drones engaged in Operation Highmast have completed close to 150 deck landings and amassed over 20 hours of flight sorties, said Royal Navy.
As part of this ongoing trial by the 700X Naval Air Squadron, the drone demonstrated its capabilities while accompanying the HMS Prince of Wales and its escort ships to Japan.
The T-150 system can carry loads up to 68kg and can reach speeds of up to 60mph.
Malloy Aeronautics, now under BAE Systems since February 2024, builds uncrewed air systems for both civilian and military use.
In February 2025, the Royal Navy introduced Peregrine, a new mini remotely piloted helicopter, on a maritime security mission in the Middle East.
The UK Ministry of Defence has committed £5bn ($6.7bn) towards investing in autonomous systems and laser weapon technology over the next five years.