UMEX 2024: Cobtec Sunflower 200 UAV to enter into service with UAE

The Sunflower 200 UAV can be customised as per user requirements. (Janes/Amit Kalra)

China-based Cobtec Ltd has confirmed the acquisition of the Sunflower 200 long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by an undisclosed Dubai-based entity, a company official told Janes at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (UMEX) 2024 held in Abu Dhabi from 23 to 25 January.

Speaking to Janes on 23 January a Cobtec official said the UAV is in production and can be deployed in two configurations.

Configuration A is guided through the Global Positioning System (GPS) and BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, and Configuration B is guided by visual cues using onboard optical systems. Both configurations can strike a target with an engaging range of 1,500 km. The 100 km engagement range is available with wireless video transmission and optional manual locking.

According to Cobtec, the platform structure looks similar to the Iranian Shahed-131 loitering munition, dubbed ‘kamikaze drone'. The Sunflower 200 is said to provide tactical-level intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), including target designation and strike capabilities. It features a mid-mounted cropped delta wing with endplates. The nose section of the fuselage is cylindrical in shape, which is understood to be swappable, carrying different payloads that can include ISR or explosive warheads. The payloads include anti-jamming modules, which help the UAV navigate and patrol against a wide range of jamming threats.

The Sunflower 200 can be fitted with a 122 mm round for strike operations and the ISR variant can be used in artillery fire correction, the official added.