Croatia’s Border Patrol is set to receive a major surveillance upgrade as Redwire Corporation prepares to deliver a new suite of uncrewed aerial systems, enhancing border security and real-time threat detection. Funded by the EU’s Frontex agency, the project will see Redwire’s subsidiary Edge Autonomy supply its proven Penguin C VTOL drones, equipped with advanced Octopus gimbal sensor payloads. These systems are designed to bolster Croatia’s ability to monitor remote border regions more efficiently and respond quickly to emerging situations.
The contract builds on previous Frontex deployments in Poland and Greece, where Edge Autonomy’s VTOL drones provided persistent surveillance across rugged landscapes and maritime zones. The platforms have demonstrated exceptional performance in anti-smuggling operations, maritime patrols, and search-and-rescue efforts, offering continuous monitoring under diverse environmental conditions. Croatia now aims to replicate this success across its land and coastal borders.
The Penguin C VTOL aircraft brings significant operational advantages, particularly its ability to take off and land without runways, enabling missions in narrow, mountainous, or heavily forested areas. Combined with the Octopus high-definition cameras, the system provides crystal-clear imagery and live data feeds that enhance situational awareness for border security teams. This new capability fits seamlessly into Croatia’s broader strategy to modernize border operations and increase mission effectiveness.
Croatia has previously relied on several fixed-wing UAS platforms, including the Schiebel Camcopter S-100 for coastal surveillance and the SenseFly eBee for observing difficult terrain. The introduction of Penguin C VTOL drones adds a new layer of flexibility, supporting rapid-response missions, long-endurance surveillance, and deployments in confined operational zones. This step complements ongoing national initiatives, such as expanding the Adriatic maritime radar network and integrating UAV-generated intelligence into the country’s border command-and-control infrastructure.
