British troops could soon gain a new way to move across the battlefield, with a British defence start-up developing a powered paraglider designed to allow individual soldiers to launch into
the air without relying on a runway, helicopter or transport aircraft.
The Ministry of Defence-backed technology, developed by Wiltshire-based Blakcro, is being described as the UK’s first foot-launched military paraglider system. Compact enough to be carried in a case roughly the size of a large rucksack, the aircraft could offer armed forces a new option for covert insertion and rapid movement in hostile environments.
Backed by around £6 million in MOD support, Blakcro has moved rapidly from early-stage development to operational use. The company began working with the ministry’s UK Defence Innovation programme after responding to its Open Call for Innovation and is now supplying systems during 2026, with further deliveries planned into 2027.
Unlike conventional airborne operations, the powered paraglider does not require soldiers to locate a suitable runway, wait for helicopter support or jump from a larger aircraft. A pilot can launch directly from the ground by running, using the combination of their own momentum and the glider's engine to become airborne.
The system has been developed specifically with military operations in mind. According to the MOD, it can be unpacked and assembled in less than eight minutes, including in complete darkness. Its compact design is intended to help troops transport the equipment independently before preparing for a mission.
Once airborne, the glider is capable of travelling as far as 200 miles under its own power. Built around a titanium airframe manufactured in the UK, it has also been designed to carry a soldier equipped with body armour and night-vision systems, while allowing for weapon mounts.
Stealth is another central feature of the project. The aircraft has been developed with reduced acoustic, visual and radar signatures, potentially enabling personnel to enter difficult or hostile areas with a lower risk of detection than more conventional airborne platforms.
The technology is already being used operationally, with Blakcro holding contracts in the UK and with NATO allies. The Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment are also expected to explore the capability through trials in the coming months, assessing whether individual air mobility could provide a useful new option for British forces.
Defence Minister for Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said the project demonstrated the government's efforts to accelerate the journey of innovative British companies from development to military deployment.
“By supporting SMEs such as Blakcro from the drawing board through to deployment, UK Defence Innovation is helping to build a stronger and more resilient British defence supply chain,” he said.
He added that the approach was intended to ensure the armed forces gained access to technologies capable of providing an operational advantage, while supporting highly skilled employment and industrial growth in regions across the country.
Blakcro's expansion has been supported by UK Defence Innovation, part of the MOD's National Armaments Director Group. The company has received assistance on several projects, including a Defence Innovation Loan aimed at helping it move beyond a single product and towards larger-scale production.
The business has expanded sharply since first receiving government backing. Its workforce has grown from three employees to 11, while it has secured three prime contracts involving the UK and NATO partners.
Blakcro founder and chief executive Sam Wedgwood said the company's progress illustrated how quickly defence innovation could be transformed into deployable equipment when smaller businesses received both financial and commercial support.
The company moved from its initial technology in 2024 through rapid innovation programmes and into procurement and operational use by 2026, he said, arguing that the pace of development would have been difficult to achieve without MOD support, access to defence specialists and help navigating the path towards commercialisation.
The powered paraglider programme forms part of a broader push to make the UK's defence procurement system more accessible to smaller and more agile companies. Ministers hope that bringing new technologies into service more quickly will strengthen Britain's domestic defence industrial base while helping the armed forces adapt to emerging threats.
For Blakcro, the project represents a transformation from a small start-up into a supplier of specialised military equipment. For Britain's armed forces, the technology could eventually open an unconventional new route into the skies — allowing individual troops to carry, assemble and launch their own aircraft before flying independently towards an operational area. Photo by Myself (Adrian Pingstone), Wikimedia commons.
