German Grille X4 ‘rescue drone' makes maiden flight

The Grille X4 seen on its maiden flight on 2 June 2026. (Avilus)

The Avilus Grille (the German word for the cricket insect) X4 ‘rescue drone' made its maiden flight on 2 June 2026.

The latest iteration of the casualty evacuation (casevac) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that the German Bundeswehr has been evaluating since 2021 flew for the first time at Avilus' Ismaning facility near Munich.

“For the first time, an unmanned aircraft from our pre-series production run of five units has taken to the air after an intensive testing and verification phase,” the company said.

As noted in the announcement, the Grille X4 improves on earlier versions with a redesigned distributed parachute system, a lighter and more robust monocoque structure, and production process improvements.

The Grille is designed to carry a single casualty along with the medical equipment needed to sustain them to the next step on the medical care chain. The air vehicle is powered by 12 electrically driven rotors on six arms, giving it a cruise speed of 86 km/h, a range of 51 km, and a service ceiling of 6,889 ft. With a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 750 kg, it can carry up to 135 kg in payload. The wider system comprises the UAV, a truck-integrated control room, a trailer for logistics and service, as well as a digital backbone.

Separate to the first flight of the Grille X4, Avilus announced that its Wespe cargo UAV also made its maiden flight on 28 May 2026.

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