In a historic first, the Royal Navy made a delivery of supplies between warships using a British-made drone during its major 2025 Indo-Pacific mission.

A Malloy T-150 octo-copter flew from flagship HMS Prince of Wales to destroyer HMS Dauntless during the UK Carrier Strike Group deployment – carrying critical supplies, including spare and repair parts from ship to ship.

The drone was flown autonomously just over a mile and was eventually controlled by crews on Dauntless to guide it onto the ship’s flight deck and make a safe landing.

The aim of the trial is to provide a cheap and efficient alternative to using helicopters or boat transfer to make deliveries and free them up to focus on operational tasks.

It comes as the Royal Navy seeks to equip its Queen Elizabeth-class carriers with hybrid air wings, including fast jets, long-range weapons and a range of advanced drones and deliver on its plans set out in the UK’s Strategic Defence Review.

Lieutenant Matt Parfitt, 700X Pioneer Flight Commander said: “This is a key milestone for the trial, achieved by all the hard work that everyone has put in. I’m proud to have achieved this first for the Royal Navy and excited to progress further over the duration of the deployment.”

Captain Colin McGannity, Commander Air Group, UK Carrier Strike Group, 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 drones currently deployed on Operation Highmast – the name of the UK Carrier Strike Group’s eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific – have carried out nearly 150 deck landings and flown more than 20 hours of sorties.

In the latest phase, as HMS Prince of Wales and her escort warships made for port visits in Japan, the Malloy drone – an eight-bladed system operated by a crew of two able to carry up to 65kg and fly up to 60mph – was launched as part of a trial by 700X Naval Air Squadron.

The T-150 drone is made by British company Malloy Aeronautics, which has been owned by BAE Systems since February 2024, and produces a variety of Uncrewed Air Systems designed for civilian and military purposes.

Ongoing support for the British defence industry delivers on the government’s Plan for Change, positioning defence as both a protector of the nation and a driver of prosperity, innovation, and global influence.

Luke Pollard, Minister for the Armed Forces, said: “The Royal Navy is leading the way in shaping the future of Hybrid Air Wings, with the impressive progress showcased during Carrier Strike Group 25. Embracing autonomy is pivotal to the way we will operate in the future, and this achievement stands as a powerful example of our armed forces working seamlessly alongside British industry to deliver cutting-edge innovation and capability at sea.”

Neil Appleton, CEO of Malloy Aeronautics, said: “This is a very proud moment to see the T-150 delivering real benefit for the Royal Navy, supporting vital logistics operations with an easy to operate and low-cost solution. The trials demonstrate the value that Uncrewed Air Systems can bring to current, complex and costly operations.”

HMS Prince of Wales is currently in Japan following operations in the Mediterranean, Middle East, India and Australia since deploying in April.