Redwire’s Tech to Guard Croatia’s Borders
Redwire is boosting Croatia's border security with Penguin C VTOL drones. Funded by the EU, these runway-independent aircraft will patrol the Schengen gateway. Their advanced cameras provide real-time surveillance to spot threats while keeping travel smooth for legitimate visitors.
There is a new high-tech sentry coming to the edge of the European Union. Redwire Corporation, a big player in space and defense infrastructure, just announced that its subsidiary, Edge Autonomy, has landed a significant contract to supply the Croatian Border Patrol with their cutting-edge Penguin C VTOL drones.
If you aren’t familiar with the "Penguin C VTOL," imagine a drone that combines the best of both worlds: the endurance of a fixed-wing aircraft and the flexibility of a helicopter. "VTOL" stands for Vertical Take-Off and Landing, meaning these drones don’t need a runway to get airborne. They can launch from tight, rugged spots—perfect for the difficult terrain often found along national borders. Once up in the air, they use Redwire’s advanced Octopus gimbal cameras to send back high-resolution, real-time video, acting as an unblinking eye over vast distances.
This deal is about more than just cool hardware; it’s a strategic move for European security. The project is funded by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. Since Croatia sits right on the gateway to the Schengen area—the zone where people can travel freely between countries without passport checks—secure borders here are vital. The goal isn't just to catch bad guys; it's to keep travel smooth for the millions of legitimate tourists and business travelers while quickly spotting potential threats or illegal crossings.
Steve Adlich, the President of Edge Autonomy, highlighted that this isn't their first rodeo. They have successfully deployed similar tech for Frontex in other EU nations like Poland and Greece. It seems that as border security becomes more complex, relying on autonomous, reliable eyes in the sky is becoming the new standard. For Croatia, this upgrade means safer borders and a smarter, more efficient way to manage the flow of people into Europe.
