In the commercial air transport business, companies have been leasing aircraft for many years but when it comes to unmanned, it hasn’t been done before – at least, not until now.

UMS Skeldar recently joined forces with JetLease, the world’s largest private aircraft leasing company, to launch the first global leasing product for its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) portfolio, including flagship unmanned helicopter, SKELDAR V-200 UAV.

UMS Skeldar’s David Willems says, “We want to offer leasing services to our users…for the first time in history, we believe.”

The offering could benefit a range of players, including government agencies and blue forces who don’t have the budget to buy outright or those who wish to trial the product before buying.

Willems says: “Undoubtedly we will have to ramp up the production facility as a consequence of the leasing product that we are now offering.”