Canadian start-up reveals balloon-launched glider for long-range strike | News [Video]

A Canadian start-up is offering a novel solution to the problem of how to affordably deliver large volumes of long-range precision munitions – launch them via balloon.

Alberta-based Landing Zones Canada says it has completed development and flight testing of a product it calls the Eagle Advanced Payload Delivery System, a low-observable glider that deploys from stratospheric altitudes via balloon to deliver lethal effects.

The system is centred on the variable-wing Eagle uncrewed aerial vehicle, which Landing Zones describes as a glider delivery system able to carry unspecified payloads “hundreds of miles downrange”, even without satellite-assisted navigation systems like GPS.

Notably, the weapon system could function with full autonomy or a so-called “man in the loop”, according to Landing Zones.

“Its variable-wing profile, allowing flights from supersonic to loitering speeds, along with its ability to carry various payloads and perform in [GPS] contested environments, positions Eagle as a game-changer for …