US Army Buys EagleNXT eBee TAC Mapping Drones

The US Army has added a new set of eyes to its aerial toolbox, purchasing tactical mapping drones from EagleNXT through its German partner Dronivo GmbH. The price tag remains classified, but the capability upgrade is anything but subtle, as The Defense Post reports.

The order includes six eBee TAC fixed wing drones equipped with S.O.D.A. 3D cameras and Duet M sensors. These payloads combine standard RGB imaging with multispectral data capture, allowing a single flight to deliver both sharp visuals and analytical insight.

Add activated RTK and PPK positioning, and the result is centimeter level accuracy without the headache of deploying a forest of ground control points.

EagleNXT says the systems can rapidly produce detailed maps and 3D models in remote or contested environments, exactly the kind of places where traditional surveying starts to feel slow and fragile.

Bill Irby, CEO of EagleNXT, framed the deal as part of the Army’s push for faster, cleaner UAS procurement. The eBee TAC is NDAA compliant, Blue UAS listed, and already field ready, which in Pentagon language translates to “no drama, please.”

eBee TAC built for quick launches and long looks

The eBee TAC is a hand launched fixed wing drone designed for tactical situational awareness rather than hobby flying. It even wears digital camouflage, a polite reminder that this aircraft is meant to blend into the background while doing its job.

With a takeoff weight of just 1.6 kilograms, the drone can be in the air within three minutes and stay there for up to 90 minutes. Its range stretches to 55 kilometers, which means one launch can cover a lot of ground before anyone starts checking their watch.

Military use cases read like a greatest hits list of modern operations. Border surveillance, reconnaissance, mapping for mission planning, intelligence gathering, search and rescue, counterinsurgency, and training exercises are all on the menu. If it involves knowing what is happening over a wide area, this drone wants in.

From mapping missions to training games

This latest purchase builds on an earlier relationship between the US Army and EagleNXT. Back in November 2025, the Army acquired three eBee VISION unmanned aerial systems for training at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany.

Those drones were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, the unit that plays the opposing force or red team during large scale exercises with US and NATO troops. In other words, their job is to make training uncomfortable in all the right ways.

EagleNXT says the eBee VISION improves aerial situational awareness while simulating enemy surveillance, giving commanders and trainees a more realistic sense of how they might be watched in real operations. The systems are built to joint operational standards and help allied forces get used to shared autonomous platforms and common data workflows.

eBee VISION specs that keep up with the pace

The eBee VISION offers real time imaging, live data transmission, and wide area coverage, delivering near instant feedback during training scenarios. Commanders can review what happened almost as soon as it happens, which makes after action reviews sharper and more useful.

The drone has a wingspan of 117 centimeters and weighs about 2 kilograms. It fits into a backpack or hard case, deploys in under three minutes, and flies for up to 90 minutes. Its airframe blends carbon fiber with reinforced polymer, and it supports continuous RGB and thermal high definition video with high zoom.

Like its TAC sibling, the eBee VISION is approved by US and European aviation regulators and appears on the Pentagon’s Blue UAS list, marking it as a trusted platform for government use.

DroneXL’s Take

What makes this deal interesting is how quietly fixed wing mapping drones have moved from niche tools to everyday military assets.

The eBee TAC is not flashy, loud, or armed, but it delivers exactly what modern forces crave: fast deployment, long endurance, and reliable data. It is another reminder that in today’s conflicts, knowing the terrain and seeing it clearly can matter just as much as anything that goes boom.

Photo credit: Eagle NXT