Deutsche Aircraft turns D328eco into drone-teaming special mission aircraft

Deutsche Aircraft, the company best known for reviving the classic Dornier 328 and modernising it into the D328eco, has made a significant push into crewed-uncrewed teaming at ILA Berlin.

Announced at the show is a new uncrewed aircraft, designed to pair with the multi-role D328eco, also known as the D328MR. The MR adapts the regional turboprop for mission-critical operations such as surveillance, ISR, airlift, MEDEVAC, disaster response and border control.

“With the D328MR, complemented by uncrewed capabilities, we are offering a portfolio that allows authorities to select the right platforms for each mission,” says Nico Neumann, CEO of Deutsche Aircraft, “based on civilian certification, safety and long-term operational reliability.”

Crewed-uncrewed teaming is becoming an increasingly important priority for air forces, border agencies and public-sector operators. Incorporating drones into fleets can extend surveillance coverage, reduce risk to crews and ease the pressure on more expensive crewed aircraft.

The new drone capability pushes the D328eco beyond its roots as a reborn regional turboprop and into more unexpected territory: a modular mission aircraft family aimed at government, defence-adjacent and special mission operators.

The Deutsche Aircraft Drone: A crewed-uncrewed partner for the D328MR

Deutsche Aircraft positions the drone as a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), tactical multi-mission UAS, designed for land and ship-based operations.

The drone is described as having an MTOW of 110 kg (243 lbs), with the capacity for payloads of 26 kg (57 lbs). It can fly for up to 16 hours at altitudes of up to 18,000 ft and with a cruise speed of between 52 and 85 knots.

Payload options range from electro-optical and infrared cameras to maritime tracking, radar, signals intelligence, communications relay and mapping sensors. This gives operators the option to configure the same air vehicle for different missions rather than buying a dedicated system for each role.

“Manned and unmanned systems each have a role to play,” says Frederic Fischer, Director Product Roadmap & Innovation at Deutsche Aircraft. “These days it is all about swiftly adding capabilities and accelerating innovation cycles to enhance mission effectiveness and getting the most out of our highly flexible platforms.”

With defence and government operators in mind, Deutsche Aircraft says the drone is ITAR-free, compliant with NATO AEP-83 airworthiness requirements and designed for NATO AEP-84 Level 4 interoperability.

The company describes the drone as a mature, fully developed product, noting that Deutsche Aircraft’s role is focused on market introduction, system integration and enabling production. That indicates that this is not a clean-sheet Deutsche Aircraft drone, but an existing UAS being folded into the company’s D328MR mission portfolio.

Deutsche Aircraft also said the uncrewed capability is being deployed in collaboration with Sierra Nevada Corporation, without specifying whether SNC is acting as manufacturer, technology provider or integration partner.

SNC acquired Volansi’s VTOL drone assets and IP in 2022, including the Voly-T, a runway-independent tactical UAV developed for surveillance, reconnaissance and military missions.

However, Deutsche Aircraft has not confirmed whether its drone is based on Voly-T, nor whether SNC is supplying the underlying aircraft. Aerospace Global News has asked the company for clarification.

Specifications for the Deutsche Aircraft drone

While the underlying airframe behind Deutsche Aircraft’s uncrewed capability remains unclear, the published specifications point to a compact tactical UAS designed for long-endurance surveillance and multi-mission use.

Deutsche Aircraft has not yet detailed how the D328MR and drone would work together at a systems level. Its own materials describe the D328MR as the primary mission platform and the UAS as a complementary asset extending reach and persistence.

However, Aviation Week reported from ILA that Deutsche is looking at the MR version as a potential mothership for several drones, enabling wider-area search missions at sea or along borders than a single aircraft could perform alone.

Expanding the appeal of the D328eco

The D328eco has plenty of off-the-shelf appeal for special mission operators. Its high wing layout, flexible cabin space and short/unpaved runway capabilities gave the original Dornier D328 a credible special mission niche, operating with the USAF as the C-146A Wolfhound and in Australia as long-range search and rescue assets.

Deutsche Aircraft is making that proposition even more appealing by modernising the cockpit and adding highly efficient engines. The D328eco can also have a large cargo door fitted, or even a door that can be operated in flight.

The exact role would depend on the operator, but Deutsche Aircraft has pitched the D328MR across a wide range of missions, from firefighting and ISR to VIP transport and medical evacuation.

Adding an uncrewed aircraft to these options positions the D328MR as not just a flexible crewed platform, but also as an aircraft fit for the future where drones will become the status quo.

Deutsche Aircraft’s D328MR: Potential configurations

Configuration		Specifications
Cargo		A freight configuration with an XL cargo door, around 50m³ of gross volume, rail tracks, EUR-pallet loading and up to around 4,800kg of payload.
Maritime / border surveillance		A surveillance configuration with radar, EO/IR, direction finding, mission management, SATCOM, AIS, ESM, a large observer window and an optional in-flight operable door.
Firefighting		A firefighting version with extended belly fairing tanks, capacity for up to four tonnes of retardant, fire crew and equipment transport, and enhanced air-to-ground communications.
VIP / corporate shuttle		A premium transport layout, including bespoke interiors for VIP or corporate shuttle use, with options such as extended range tanks, SATCOM/Wi-Fi and large cargo space.
Special mission / paratroops		A military-style configuration with 36 jump seats, an XL cargo door, optional in-flight operable door, high-altitude military free-fall capability, NVIS and unpaved runway/STOL capability.
ISR		An intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance fit with maritime C4ISR systems, radar, EO/IR, mission management, direction finding, SATCOM, ESM, AIS and enhanced vision.
Search and rescue		A SAR configuration with radar, EO/IR sensors, direction finding, mission management, digital communications, observer window and an optional in-flight operable door.
Regional commuter		A passenger configuration for up to 40 passengers, with an upgraded cabin, large baggage space, full-size lavatory and improved passenger comfort.
Air ambulance / MEDEVAC / CASEVAC		A medical evacuation layout with intensive care stations, stretcher loading, ambulance equipment and options including oxygen, SATCOM/Wi-Fi and unpaved runway capability.

The path to the first flight of the D328eco

The wider D328MR concept rests on Deutsche Aircraft’s ability to bring the D328eco itself into service. The first D328eco test aircraft, known as TAC 1, was rolled out at Oberpfaffenhofen in May 2025, moving the programme from design into the certification and industrialisation phase.

Deutsche Aircraft took delivery of its first Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127XT-S engines in November last year, and says that flight testing is scheduled to begin in 2026

The company has revised the D328eco’s entry-into-service target to Q4 2027, citing certification requirements and regulatory changes. Deutsche is also building up its industrial base around the aircraft, including a final assembly line at Leipzig/Halle, where full production readiness is planned for early 2027.

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