# Raptor X8-50

> A coaxial X8 heavy-lift drone. It carries fifty kilograms of cargo twenty kilometres and sets it down exactly where a vehicle cannot reach.

- Category: Heavy-lift cargo drone
- Maker: London Defence R&D, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
- Product group: [Flight electronics & platforms](https://londondrd.uk/products/flight-electronics)
- Product page: https://londondrd.uk/products/raptor-x8-50
- Enquiries: https://londondrd.uk/contact?product=raptor-x8-50

## Overview

The Raptor X8-50 is a coaxial X8 rotary drone built for one job: to move fifty kilograms of cargo twenty kilometres and put it down where a vehicle cannot go. It has a folding carbon-fibre airframe, battery packs you can swap while running, and an AES-256 encrypted command link. A crew of two can have it in the air in under eight minutes. Twin-antenna RTK GNSS gives ±2 cm accuracy, and an INS with visual odometry keeps it flying when GNSS is jammed.

The belly bay holds a twin-latch hook rated to 50 kg, with two separate actuators and a mechanical lock that will not drop the load if power is lost. You can rack up to four separate loads and release them one by one on a single flight, set off by reaching a waypoint, an operator command or a ground beacon. Where it cannot land, a 20 m powered winch lowers the load at 1.2 m/s, watches the tension with a load cell and cuts the line by itself if the load snags. Typical jobs are forward resupply, temperature-controlled medical and cold-chain delivery, disaster relief and ship-to-shore transfer.

## Key characteristics

- 50 kg maximum load, 20 km one-way at full load and 34 km empty
- Folding coaxial X8 carbon-fibre airframe; two people, in the air in under eight minutes
- Swap-while-running power: 2 × 14S 30 Ah smart Li-ion packs, changed by hand in under 90 seconds
- AES-256 MIMO C2 link to 20 km line of sight; flies without GNSS using INS and visual odometry
- Automatic release bay with four drops per flight, plus a 20 m winch for delivery without landing
- IP55 protection, handles steady 12 m/s wind and works from −20 °C to +50 °C

## Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Max payload | 50 kg |
| Range @ 50 kg | 20 km one-way |
| Max endurance | 45 min |
| MTOW | 125 kg |
| Cruise / max speed | 50 / 75 km/h |
| C2 datalink | AES-256 MIMO, 20 km LOS |

Specifications may change. We confirm the exact figures against the current datasheet when you ask.

## Related products

- [Raptor Pilot AI](https://londondrd.uk/products/raptor-pilot-ai): The mission computer for drones and robots. It sees at 60 FPS and decides on board, so nothing has to leave the aircraft.
- [Baby Raptor Interception Drone](https://londondrd.uk/products/baby-raptor-interceptor): A small, fast interceptor drone. It finds, chases and stops hostile drones with very little operator input.
- [Raptor Core C2](https://londondrd.uk/products/raptor-core-c2): Command-and-control software that brings radars, RF detection, EO/IR cameras and drones into one NATO-ready picture, with real-time control of the response.

---

London Defence R&D · https://londondrd.uk/products/raptor-x8-50 · Content updated 2026-11-04