NZDF tender seeks drones for swarm experiments

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) plans to experiment with flying drones in swarms, according to a tender it has issued. RNZ reported the plan.

The tender asks for a "limited quantity" of drones that a single operator can coordinate. A swarm is a group of drones flying together under shared control, so the tender is seeking aircraft that one person can direct as a group.

The tender is titled "Drone swarm solution for experimentation and testing" and is listed on the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS), the government's online system for publishing contracts and bids. The listing was published on 23 October 2026.

According to the tender, the drones are wanted for assessment and experimenting. The document states that the drones "is not intended for operational use or large-scale fleet deployment."