TAI Thailand Delivers Four M Solar-X UAV Production-grade Systems to Royal Thai Air Force

14 Juli 2025

M Solar-X UAV VTOL model to Royal Thai Air Force (all photos: RTAF)

Thai Aviation Industries Co., Ltd. (TAI) has delivered four of its M Solar-X UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) high-performance, low-altitude solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in its production line to the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) at Wing 3, Watthana Nakhon, Sa Kaeo Province in July 2025.

The Royal Thai Air Force's Research and Development Center for Space and Aeronautical Science and Technology (RDC) revealed via its online social media on July 8, 2025.

The M Solar-X Solar Cell Energy Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or K-Series UAV is a research project of Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Thai Air Force Academy (NKRTAFA) and the Air Force Aerospace Science and Technology Research and Development Center.

The latest model was launched at the Dronetech Asia 2024 unmanned systems exhibition during November 25-27, 2024, with an agreement signed with Thai company TAI to begin mass production and deliver to Air Force Battalions in various air bases for flying to monitor the air base.

According to the details in the Royal Thai Air Force White Paper 2025, the latest M Solar-X UAV production project for base defense missions has completed research and development and will be produced and delivered to user units in 2025, 2026 and 2027, respectively.

The M Solar-X UAV system, in addition to the aircraft (Air Vehicle), also consists of a set of control stations and remote control antennas, as well as a catapult rail for the fixed wing UAV model, in addition to the VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing UAV) model that can take off and land by itself.

The M Solar-X UAV is designed for high performance in long endurance missions using advanced design technology that perfectly combines aerodynamic design, solar cell technology application and Lithium Ion Battery power source.

Which can meet the needs of both military and civilian missions, for example, applications in patrolling, surveillance, surveying border areas, monitoring forest fires and haze problems, and is also a research and development work that can be produced by Thailand itself.

The features of the fixed-wing M Solar-X UAV are a flight duration of 4-10 hours, a cruising speed of 54-62 km/h, a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 12 kg, a maximum payload of 2 kg, such as an EO/IR Thermal camera, and a wingspan of 4.2 m.

The M Solar-X UAV VTOL model features a flight time of 2-4 hours, a VTOL vertical takeoff and landing speed of 15-17 m/s, and a maximum takeoff weight of 16 kg MTOW. Both models are equipped with a Lithium Ion Battery and a high-efficiency thin and flexible Solar Cell.

(AAG)

from DEFENSE STUDIES https://ift.tt/dp0Y1xM
via IFTTT