Copyright Interesting Engineering
French unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) payload maker Merio has unveiled a laser designation system small and light enough to be mounted on drones. Called the Milvus, the device uses a laser designator that “paints” or illuminates a target with a laser beam. Once complete, precision weapons, like laser-guided bombs, missiles, or smart artillery shells, can home in on the reflected laser light, striking the target with pinpoint accuracy. This is interesting as until now, laser designators have mostly been used by ground troops (e.g., forward air controllers) or manned aircraft. This means people had to be close enough to see and mark the target, often within range of enemy fire. MERIO’s system moves this capability onto unmanned drones, so targets can be marked remotely and safely. According to Merio, the Milvus gimbal (a stabilized camera/turret unit) houses electro-optical and infrared sensors plus the laser designator. Portuguese and French technology “The Milvus 16MW has a compact architecture (Ø16 cm) but stands out with enhanced performance. It includes a Full HD day camera with x30 (or x36 option) optical zoom and a cooled MWIR 640×480 infrared camera with x15 optical zoom,” MERIO explains on their website. “This gimbal also integrates a 12 km laser rangefinder and a laser pointer, all within a weight of [6.17 pounds] 2.8 kg,” they add. When mounted under a UAV, the Milvus can spot and track targets day or night. As previously mentioned, it can then “paint” them with a coded laser beam. Using this information, it can feed targeting coordinates to other platforms (aircraft, artillery, or ships) that will fire precision-guided weapons. This means a drone can find and mark a target, then other assets can fire from long range, effectively forming a connected, “networked” kill chain. The new gimbal has been developed in partnership with Portuguese drone maker TEKEVER. They supply the drone and Merio, the new gimbal part of the new UAV package. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the UAV Show 2025 in Bordeaux to integrate MERIO’s Milvus gimbal into TEKEVER’s UAVs. Together, they’ll test and demonstrate how this setup boosts European-built Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) and targeting capabilities. “New exciting project with the French Armed Forces! Laser designation from drones — sounds familiar? MERIO keeps pushing the limits of innovation to ensure mission success,” the company said in a LinkedIn post. MERIO helping Europe stay fighting fit This new technology is important for a variety of reasons. The first is safety, as no need for troops to mark targets manually; drones can do it from afar. It also greatly improves accuracy for laser-guided weapons, reducing collateral damage. The new technology also provides a form of networked warfare. This fits into NATO and EU defense priorities, emphasizing data-sharing between drones, aircraft, artillery, and ships. It also helps provide European military autonomy and shows Europe is building its own indigenous targeting tech, rather than relying on U.S. or Israeli systems. MERIO’s laser-designating drones are part of a broader trend in unmanned, coordinated precision warfare where drones scout, track, and “paint” targets, while other systems strike, all without exposing soldiers to direct risk. It’s a small but significant step toward fully networked European battlefield systems.
