01
Mission fit
Aircraft class and equipment are matched to the operational requirement.
Swiss aerospace
SKALESYSTEM. Swiss fixed-wing aircraft systems. ONE PLATFORM.COUNTLESS MISSIONS.ONE CORE.
Swiss UAV manufacturing · engineered for every mission.
SKALESYSTEM designs and builds modular fixed-wing unmanned aircraft in Switzerland. One core architecture, scaled into a family and configured per mission: designed with AI, flown as a coordinated network. Sovereign air capability for governments and operators, delivered faster.
Swiss
Designed & engineered
Modular
One core, many configurations
AI-enabled
Engineering accelerated, engineer-owned
Sovereign
Capability operators own and control
The platform
A single core architecture, configured to the mission.
DS family · front view
Architecture mapCORE
One core
SKALESYSTEM
ISR
Cargo
Mothership
Mapping
Rapid response
Agricultural
SKALESYSTEM develops a fixed-wing aircraft family around one modular architecture. Size and mission equipment change with the requirement, while shared design principles connect the family.
This approach reduces duplicated engineering and gives operators a coherent path between mission classes. Open payload architecture supports equipment choice and long-term control of the capability.
THE DS FAMILY
One core. Every SKALE.
DSstands forDrone Skalable
Six fixed-wing aircraft classes, from light DS450 to long-endurance DS2500. Each is designed around the same core architecture, sized and equipped for its mission class. The preliminary family design envelope extends up to Mach 0.6; performance depends on model, payload and configuration.
DS450
Tactical class
DS700
Light ISR / utility
DS1000
MALE class
DS1200
Scaled platform
DS1500
Heavy ISR / cargo
DS2500
Long-endurance class
DS450
Tactical class
DS700
Light ISR / utility
DS1000
MALE class
DS1200
Scaled platform
DS1500
Heavy ISR / cargo
DS2500
Long-endurance class
LightOne shared core architectureLong-endurance
Open architecturePlug-and-play payloads across the family
The DS family is designed for payload-agnostic, plug-and-play integration. Match sensors, communications equipment or cargo to the mission, with aircraft size, power and payload capacity defining the fit rather than a single supplier's equipment catalogue.
EO/IR turretsSAR / GMTI radarMaritime radarRF spectrum monitoringLiDARMultispectral / hyperspectralAIS / ADS-BComms relay / SATCOMCargo / airdrop
DSX FAMILY
Supersonic. Same SKALE.
DSX · supersonicThe DS family brings the modular platform approach to endurance-led missions, including ISR, logistics and environmental operations.
DSX extends that approach into supersonic aircraft. It carries the same ambition: scalable architecture and mission-led configuration, with speed and reach at the centre of the design challenge.
DS
Up to Mach 0.6
Design envelope · endurance-led missions
DSX
Supersonic
Time-critical reach · supersonic design
Core USP
A new platform is not a new aircraft. It is the same design, SKALED.
One core · baseline ISR configuration
Moving between aircraft classes follows a shared architecture rather than an unrelated design for each mission. Reusable engineering principles support scale, while each configuration is assessed against its own requirements.
02
Shared architecture
Common design principles reduce duplicated engineering between configurations.
03
Payload choice
A payload-agnostic approach gives customers room to choose mission equipment.
04
Long-term scale
A coherent aircraft family supports changing requirements across weight and mission classes.
Shared architecture. Lasting flexibility.
MISSIONS
Every Environment. Every Mission.
Configured for the environmentAlpine, maritime and desert requirements shape the configuration, from payload choice to operating environment.
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Desert · persistent watchMALE
M.02Config
MALE
Medium-altitude, long-endurance configurations for persistent operations.
Maritime · blue waterMothership
M.03Config
Mothership
Carrier and relay configuration for small unmanned air vehicles, extending sensor coverage and communications range.
Remote · resupplyCargo
M.04Config
Cargo
High-volume internal payload for utility and logistics.
Agricultural · low altitudeAgricultural
M.05Config
Agricultural
Stable low-speed configuration for dispersal missions.
Alpine · night rescueSearch & Rescue
M.06Config
Search & Rescue
Rapid response configuration for missing-person and casualty-location missions.
Mountain · frontierBorder Patrol
M.07Config
Border Patrol
Persistent watch configuration for frontier and perimeter security.
Coastal · survey gridMapping & Survey
M.08Config
Mapping & Survey
High-precision geospatial configuration for photogrammetry and terrain modeling.
Low radar signature · designed inLow observability is a design requirement across mission configurations.
AI
AI-powered design. AI-coordinated operations.
In engineering
Aerospace judgement and AI-assisted analysis come together to assess mission requirements and develop aircraft configurations.
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In operation
We are developing AI-supported operations that help aircraft contribute to a common mission. The operator retains authority.
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Shared objective. Operator authority.
About
Swiss-engineered. Powered by aircraft industry leaders.
SKALESYSTEM is a Swiss aerospace OEM bringing together engineers and programme leaders whose careers span aircraft design, certification and series production across commercial and defence programmes worldwide. That experience informs a modular fixed-wing aircraft family, modern AI-assisted engineering and the development of coordinated mission capabilities.
4000+
Aircraft across prior programmes in which team members worked on design, manufacturing and certification
80+
Combined years of aerospace design experience accumulated by team members across prior programmes
CH
Swiss aerospace OEM · engineering based in Switzerland
2
Aircraft families: the scalable DS portfolio and the DSX supersonic aircraft
P.01
Aircraft programme expertise
Team members bring experience in fixed-wing design, propulsion integration, certification and industrialisation from prior aerospace programmes.
P.02
Swiss engineering base
Based in Switzerland, with an emphasis on operator control, payload choice and long-term adaptability for government and commercial requirements.
P.03
Platform thinking
A shared modular architecture connects aircraft development, AI-assisted engineering and mission capability across weight classes.
FAQFrequently asked questions
11
01What problem does SKALESYSTEM solve?
Changing a mission today usually means restarting the programme: new structures, new avionics integration, new certification evidence, and a fleet whose types each carry their own spares, training and support. We build one core architecture that absorbs mission change instead of being redrawn by it: configured per mission, owned by the operator.
02What does SKALESYSTEM do?
SKALESYSTEM is a Swiss aerospace OEM developing modular fixed-wing unmanned aircraft. The six-model DS family shares one core architecture for ISR, border and maritime surveillance, search and rescue, logistics, agriculture and mapping. AI-assisted engineering supports aircraft development, alongside work on coordinated mission capabilities.
03What does DS stand for?
DS stands for Drone Skalable. It is the naming convention for the SKALESYSTEM platform family, where each model shares the same core design scaled to a different size and mission class.
04What is the DSX platform?
DSX is SKALESYSTEM's supersonic aircraft, extending the same modularity and scale into supersonic flight for time-critical missions.
05Where is SKALESYSTEM based?
SKALESYSTEM is based at Churerstrasse 156, 8808 Pfäffikon, Schwyz, Switzerland. Its engineering base and modular aircraft development are anchored in Switzerland.
06What experience does the team have?
Team members bring 80+ combined years of aerospace design experience from prior commercial and defence programmes. Those programmes encompassed 4,000+ aircraft, with team members contributing to design, manufacturing and certification. These figures describe their prior programme experience, not SKALESYSTEM aircraft deliveries.
07Why is the aircraft built in Switzerland?
Switzerland is the engineering base for SKALESYSTEM's aircraft development. The platform approach emphasises operator control, payload choice and long-term adaptability. Export and regulatory requirements depend on the customer, destination and selected equipment.
08How does one core become different aircraft?
The DS family uses shared modular design principles across six aircraft classes, from light DS450 to long-endurance DS2500. Size and mission equipment are matched to the requirement, reducing the need for unrelated aircraft designs. The preliminary family design envelope extends up to Mach 0.6, with performance dependent on model, payload and configuration.
09Which payloads can the aircraft carry?
The family is designed for payload-agnostic, plug-and-play integration. Mission equipment options include EO/IR, SAR/GMTI and maritime radar, RF spectrum monitoring, LiDAR, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, AIS/ADS-B, communications relay, SATCOM and cargo. Equipment selection is matched to aircraft size, payload capacity and power requirements.
10How is AI used?
AI-assisted engineering supports mission analysis, configuration comparison and design decisions, with engineers retaining responsibility. Operational development focuses on mission awareness and complementary coverage from cooperating aircraft around a shared objective, under operator authority.
11What is the radar signature of the aircraft?
Low radar signature is a design requirement across the DS family and its mission configurations. Radar observability depends on the configuration and operating conditions; no measured radar cross-section values are published here.
Contact
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Churerstrasse 156 · 8808 Pfäffikon · Switzerland
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Schweiz · SwitzerlandKanton Schwyz