California-based Swarm Aero has unveiled Gamera, a large military drone designed to fly more than 9,000 nautical miles and deliver long-range weapons at a lower cost than existing aircraft, according to the company. A full-size model was displayed at the Air & Space Forces Association's Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.
Chief Revenue Officer Oliver Palmer told Breaking Defense that first flight of Gamera is targeted for late 2027. The aircraft features a 72-foot wingspan, two parallel fuselages, and seven external mounting points for weapons and other payloads.
Swarm has emphasized a relatively simple, non-stealthy design that prioritizes range and affordability. The company is offering Gamera for the Pentagon's Massed Modular Aircraft program, and stated it could beat the U.S. Air Force's target of $10 million per aircraft, though no firm selling price has been announced.
CEO Peter Kalogiannis told Breaking Defense that Gamera would meet the program's requirement to carry at least 2,800 pounds over the specified mission distance, and that the design would allow operators to trade payload for range.
Swerm lists Gamera's maximum range as more than 9,000 nautical miles on its website, but does not specify the payload associated with that figure, and the projected range has yet to be demonstrated in flight. The interchangeable payloads for Gamera could support missions such as surveillance, electronic warfare, communications, and weapons delivery.
Gamera will use a Honeywell TPE331 turboprop engine, a selection announced in June 2026. In August 2026, Swarm announced more than $10 million in Air Force Research Laboratory contracts for composite manufacturing techniques and aircraft parts production.
Competition includes General Atomics, which unveiled its Wildfire drone on September 10, 2026, proposing it for the same program. General Atomics says Wildfire would offer a ferry range exceeding 8,000 nautical miles and could carry two Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles or four Joint Strike Missiles.
