Singapore Airshow 2026 – Axios, ST Engineering’s game‑changing last‑mile delivery solution
Axios is described as a drone‑agnostic, multi‑payload delivery solution, conceived as a modular mission subsystem rather than a single proprietary drone. This “delivery kit”, exhibited at the Singapore Airshow 2026, can be integrated on different unmanned platforms, designed to be scalable so it can be adapted to several platform classes and a variety of payload profiles. This concept allows operators to align the same delivery solution with different airframes, according to mission constraints and national inventories
Operationally, Axios is specifically positioned for last‑mile public security and close‑range operations, meaning short‑range missions in urban or tactical environments where responsiveness and precision are critical. It is placed within ST Engineering’s “Defence, Public Safety & Security” portfolio, implying a level of hardening and cyber protection consistent with defence and homeland security use cases. At this stage, no public information specifies range, speed, payload mass or environmental envelope, since these parameters depend largely on the host drone that carries the Axios system.
The drone‑agnostic philosophy points to standardisable mechanical and electrical interfaces, including mounting points, power supply and data links, enabling integration on multiple drone families, including new platforms such as Artos which is for defence applications. Beyond the physical interface, the system is tied into ST Engineering’s broader C5ISR architecture, notably the Manned‑Unmanned Teaming Operating System and the AI Cockpit. This suggests compatibility with existing tactical datalinks and ground C2 stations, so that Axios‑equipped drones can be tasked and monitored from the same command environment as ISR sensors and effectors.
Axios is characterised as a multi‑payload solution, opening the way to a wide range of mission pods and containers. These can include logistics payloads such as ammunition, rations, batteries, or spare parts; medical payloads like first‑aid kits, blood products or medicines; as well as sensor payloads, for instance electro‑optical or CBRN detection kits, and small communication nodes. The system is designed for recurring delivery and retrieval operations, which implies secure locking and unlocking mechanisms and precise procedures for release or set‑down in confined, congested areas such as rooftops, courtyards, or narrow streets.
Because Axios is integrated into an AI‑enabled C2 environment, it is reasonable to expect mission‑tracking functions such as payload tracking, delivery confirmation and logistics telemetry, even though these have not yet been described in detail in open sources. In practice, this would allow commanders to visualise in real time where each payload is, when it is delivered and in what condition, closing the loop between planning, execution, and resupply.
In terms of maturity, Axios is presented as a first‑in‑class solution unveiled at Singapore Airshow 2026 within a multi‑domain demonstration that also features the Artos unmanned aircraft system and the Eagle Strike loitering munition. Its inclusion alongside already mature systems like the Terrex s5 HED, Taurus UGV and Veloce UAV suggests at least a pre‑series technology readiness level, even if no formal qualification status or launch customer has yet been publicly announced.
In summary, what is publicly available today defines the nature, role, integration architecture and employment domain of Axios, but not its hard numbers such as payload mass, physical dimensions, power budget or interface standards. To obtain a fully detailed, data‑driven technical specification suitable for an annex or a product sheet, one would need access to dedicated documentation provided directly by ST Engineering, most likely under a non‑disclosure framework.
Photo by J. Roukoz
