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Air · Drone / system

Nauru 1000C ISTAR

Brazilian hybrid VTOL reconnaissance aircraft adopted by the Brazilian Army, with a separately described armed-development pathway.

Role & capabilities

  • Reconnaissance aircraft
In service / use documentedIn service / use documented
Primary domain
Air
System type
Reconnaissance aircraft
Developer / manufacturer
XMobots
Origin / production countries
Brazil
Other names
No additional names recorded
Variants / configurations
Nauru 1000C ISTAR reconnaissance configuration; Armed derivative with MBDA: development, not established service
Operators / programme customers
Brazilian Army

Evidence & current status

Army adoption is documented. Current manufacturer specifications should not be assumed for every earlier delivery; the armed derivative remains separately qualified.

Nauru 1000C ISTAR is XMobots’ Brazilian tactical reconnaissance aircraft. It combines fixed-wing cruise with electric vertical lift, using a combustion engine for forward flight. The arrangement provides runway-independent take-off and landing while supporting longer observation missions. The manufacturer’s current page describes a stabilised imaging payload and integration with a ground control and communications system.

Brazilian Army material identifies Nauru 1000C among its acquired uncrewed systems. That establishes an operator relationship, while the current XMobots specifications describe the manufacturer’s advertised configuration rather than every delivered aircraft. Earlier publicity called the aircraft a 150-kilogram system; the present product page gives a 181-kilogram maximum take-off mass. The dated baseline matters.

XMobots also describes development of an armed version with MBDA. This is kept separate from the reconnaissance aircraft’s established adoption: a partnership or integration programme is not evidence that an armed configuration has entered military service. The range figures are explicitly radio line-of-sight coverage. They should not be compared directly with fuel-limited flight distance quoted for another aircraft. Naval adaptations likewise require their own programme evidence.

Sourced specifications

Figures apply to the named configuration. Maximum values are not guaranteed operating performance.

SpecificationReported valueContext & source
AirframeFixed-wing aircraft with separate vertical-lift rotorsPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
Launch / recoveryAutomatic VTOLPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
PropulsionCombustion pusher engine for cruise; eight electric lift motorsPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
DimensionsWingspan 7.7 m; length 2.9 m; height 0.98 mPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
MassMaximum take-off weight 181 kgPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
Endurance10 hoursPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
Range60 km radio line-of-sight; 120 km optionalPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
Speed60 kt cruisePublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
AltitudeService ceiling 10,000 ftPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
PayloadMaximum 42 kgPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
SensorsXSIS stabilised EO/IR imaging systemPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗
Communications / navigationGround datalink; ADS-B and transponder describedPublished figure for the cited configuration; conditions and payload can affect performance. Source ↗

Publication history

  • — Added a sourced global catalogue profile with configuration-specific data and explicit evidence limits.

Suggest a correction to this entry →

Follow the evidence

Source types identify who makes the claim. Programme milestones and supplier statements should be read in context.

  1. XMobots: Nauru 1000C ISTAR current technical data (opens in a new tab)Manufacturer
  2. Brazilian Army: Army Aviation and Nauru 1000C (opens in a new tab)Government / operator
  3. XMobots: earlier Army acquisition description (opens in a new tab)Manufacturer

Explore the connections

Manufacturer indexBrazil

XMobots

Aircraft and programme links: Nauru 1000C ISTAR.

Reviewed 20 Sept 2026Read
Air · Coverage auditLatin America

Latin America defence drone coverage audit

4 original research topics reviewed: 0 resolved, 3 partially resolved and 1 still open. The remaining register identifies specific evidence needs.

Reviewed 21 Sept 2026Read