Nigeria’s critical oil and gas assets have received further surveillance and security boost as Textron Systems Corporation prepares to supply three Aerosonde® Mk. 4.7 vertical takeoff and landing uncrewed aircraft systems to Tantita Security Services.
Announced on December 29th, 2025, the deal will see the advanced UAS platforms delivered in a fully ITAR-free configuration, enabling rapid and seamless deployment for security operations across Nigeria. The acquisition represents a major leap in Tantita’s capacity to monitor and protect oil installations, pipelines and related infrastructure that have long been vulnerable to theft, vandalism and sabotage.
The Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 VTOL UAS is purpose-built for persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Its hybrid quadrotor technology allows vertical takeoff and landing without reliance on runways, making it ideal for operations in remote, swampy and hard-to-access oil-producing regions, particularly within the Niger Delta.
Combining fixed-wing endurance with autonomous flight reliability, the system delivers extended aerial coverage, real-time data and wide-area situational awareness. These capabilities are expected to strengthen early threat detection, improve response coordination and support more effective enforcement actions aimed at securing Nigeria’s oil assets and sustaining production levels.
David Phillips, Senior Vice President, Air, Land and Sea Systems at Textron Systems, said the Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 is a mature and industry-proven solution that will provide Tantita with transformational operational capability. He noted that the system’s performance and reliability will help expand efforts to protect infrastructure central to Nigeria’s economic growth and energy security.
The contract also provides options for specialised training and the supply of additional aircraft to support future expansion, building on previous engagements between Textron Systems and Nigeria through earlier Foreign Military Sales programmes. Globally, the Aerosonde UAS family has amassed more than 700,000 flight hours and is currently deployed on over 10 United States Navy ships.
As Nigeria steps up the fight against crude oil theft and pipeline sabotage, the deployment of advanced uncrewed aerial surveillance platforms is increasingly seen as a critical force multiplier. With the introduction of the Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 VTOL UAS, Tantita Security Services is positioned to deliver more effective, technology-driven protection for the nation’s most strategic economic assets.
