The Cyprus National Guard showcased two new H-10 Poseidon surveillance drones at a ceremony on Monday, receiving the aircraft as a donation from Cypriot manufacturer Swarmly Aero, which has already supplied more than 200 of the same model to Ukrainian forces.
The ceremony took place at Patroclos Kokkinos camp in Mosfiloti, the headquarters of the 195th Artillery Observation Battery. Defence Committee members and Defence Ministry officials attended the event, which included a memorial service, speeches and a flight demonstration.
National Guard Chief Emmanuel Theodorou thanked the company for what he described as a significant investment in national security and practical proof of Cyprus’s capacity for domestic defence production.
“The unmanned aircraft Poseidon is already being used in real conditions on the Ukrainian front and has met the requirements of a modern, high-intensity operational environment,” Theodorou said.
He added that in modern warfare, artillery power depends not only on calibre or range but on rapid, accurate targeting and access to real-time information. The drones’ integration into the Artillery Observation Battery advances this capability, according to Theodorou.
The H-10 Poseidon can fly at altitudes up to five kilometres and ranges of 50 kilometres, operating day and night under difficult conditions. The aircraft conducts observation, target indication and target correction missions.
The system transmits real-time data to all National Guard artillery units, providing precise information on target location and movement on the ground. This represents an operational capability the force previously lacked, fundamentally upgrading how artillery units coordinate, target and respond.
According to the manufacturers, the drone has extremely low detectability, making it difficult or practically impossible for hostile forces to locate. Its limited thermal signature reduces detection chances by infrared sensors, whilst its design limits electromagnetic wave reflection, hindering radar detection.
Both the aerodynamic shape and colouring were chosen to reduce visibility. These factors make the drone nearly invisible not only to the naked eye but also to modern surveillance systems, enhancing operational effectiveness in high-threat environments.
The aircraft incorporates advanced internal anti-jamming and anti-spoofing systems, significantly increasing resilience against electronic interference and attempts to mislead navigation systems. This makes interception through electronic warfare means particularly difficult.
Although the drone has GPS navigation capability, operators can disable this system if signals are jammed or spoofed and continue flight using alternative satellite navigation systems.
Swarmly has supplied the Ukrainian Army with over 200 H-10 Poseidon drones to date and has also exported to Indonesia. According to company CEO Gary Rafalovsky, these exports make Swarmly the largest exporter of unmanned aircraft from a European state to countries outside the European Union.
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