Japan's Terra Drone wins first domestic defence order

Terra Drone is supplying 300 units to its Terra Entry modular UAV to Japan's MoD for training purposes. (Terra Drone )

Tokyo-based Terra Drone Corporation has secured a procurement order from Japan's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) to supply its Terra Entry general-purpose modular unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the company has confirmed to Janes.

According to Terra Drone, ATLA has awarded the company a manufacturing contract to supply 300 units of the UAV. The contract is valued at JPY115.4 million (USD728,337), with deliveries scheduled to Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) by September 2025.

A Terra Drone spokesperson said the UAVs supplied under the contract are intended for training purposes.

According to Terra Drone, the Terra Entry UAV costs JPY189,500, weighs 500 g, and has a payload capacity of 2 kg. It features a 7-inch propeller and a battery capacity of 6,000 mAH.

In March, Terra Drone announced its entry into the defence equipment market, including plans to establish a US-based subsidiary, Terra Defense, by the end of fiscal year (FY) 2026.

“Securing our first domestic contract just two months after entering the defence sector is a significant milestone,” the Terra Drone spokesperson said. “This achievement serves as a catalyst to accelerate our domestic initiatives and strengthens our position as a reliable supplier within Japan's expanding defence market.”

To support its entry into the defence sector, Terra Drone announced in April its investment in Ukrainian defence technology company Winnylab, which specialises in the design and production of fixed-wing interceptor UAVs. This followed an earlier investment, announced in March, in Ukrainian rocket‑type interceptor UAV developer Amazing Drones.