Windlift Has Entered the Tethered UAV Space with Breakthrough Technology Set to Redefine Autonomous Tethered Flight

Windlift's GUARD platform is uniquely positioned to produce a fleet of systems ready to meet urgent national security needs and reshape tethered aerial operations across defense and commercial sectors.

DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Windlift has announced successful results from initial testing of its first tethered GUARD platform and is now bringing GUARD, a new class of tethered unmanned aerial vehicles (teUAV), to market. The GUARD systems are significantly expanding the operating window of existing technology, allowing Windlift to redefine where and how teUAVs are used for national defense and critical infrastructure security. The GUARD systems are designed to open new markets and mission critical applications for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS).

"GUARD is set to deliver performance far beyond what's possible today. Where most tethered drones struggle or fail in high winds, GUARD excels. As the wind increases, the GUARD platform, originally designed to harness the wind through complex flight patterns for airborne power generation, thrives" said Rob Creighton, Windlift Founder & CEO. "This breakthrough has been in the making for years, with technical oversight from the Naval Research Laboratory every step of the way. Initial testing marks a pivotal moment, proving Windlift's design is not only technically superior, but indispensable for national defense and critical commercial applications."

Meeting Urgent National Security Demands

Critical infrastructure and border security, along with persistent maritime domain awareness, have become urgent defense priorities for the United States and Allied Nations. Rising geopolitical tensions and a sharp escalation in piracy and an unsecured maritime environment have fueled this urgency. In the first half of 2025 alone, we have seen the increased threat of drone warfare and a 50 percent increase in piracy events over 2024 and the highest number since 2020.⁽¹⁾

These rising threats, combined with increasingly severe weather events, demand tethered systems that can provide persistent ISR while maintaining position at an altitude that identifies low flying drones and surface vessels in time to initiate a response. These systems must withstand conditions typical of extreme maritime environments and be able to operate when in tow. The GUARD fleet can provide a resilient lifter that thrives in conditions far exceeding the current max, allowing for persistent monitoring of critical infrastructure in shipping, coastal zones, ports, and across borders, and offers both military and commercial operators a scalable, deployable solution.

Positioned for the Golden Dome Era

The successful initial testing of its GUARD platform coincides with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's release of the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) solicitation, a potential 10-year, $151 billion program to create a multi-layered defense system to defend against ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles.⁽²⁾ SHIELD is the contracting vehicle for the broader "Golden Dome" program, which seeks a continental missile defense network. In addition, the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) recently announced their commitment to building a drone wall, a coordinated defense network designed to detect, track, and intercept unauthorized drones before they reach sensitive airspace.⁽³⁾ Windlift's systems, with their ability to scale via mesh networking and integrate into existing defense architectures, are uniquely aligned to meet a need within SHIELD and EU drone wall requirements. Windlift's GUARD systems are also well-timed with the National Defense Authorization Act's (NDAA26) specifications, which emphasize the need for distributed surveillance networks that do not rely on large, costly platforms.⁽⁴⁾ Windlift is designed for cost-effective, plug-and-play interoperability, positioning GUARD as a critical enabler of these mandates.

Dual-Use Applications: From Defense to Commercial

While the GUARD fleet is perfectly suited for critical infrastructure and border security, naval overwatch, and counter-UAS operations, its utility extends to commercial sectors, including:

• Maritime security and shipping route protection: Reducing insurance premiums by safeguarding high-risk voyages.
• Offshore infrastructure monitoring: Surveilling oil platforms, wind farms, and subsea cables.
• Agriculture and fisheries: Extending persistent observation and data collection.
• Disaster response: Providing communications and situational awareness in challenging environments.

This dual-use versatility underscores Windlift's market position as both a defense technology innovator and a commercial security partner.

Proven Performance, Strategic Timing

Windlift's performance validation arrives amid a global shift toward resilient, scalable aerial systems for defense and security. The Pentagon recently announced increased investment in low-cost drone production to bolster U.S. capabilities.⁽⁵⁾ Windlift's GUARD system is positioned to become a cornerstone technology in the evolving defense landscape.

With $24 million in U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Energy contracts and technical oversight from the Naval Research Laboratory, Windlift has built its foundational technology on the goal of building machines that use wind as an asset instead of an obstacle, giving GUARD immediate superior performance and lending the credibility needed to make GUARD a natural candidate for upcoming procurement opportunities.^(6-7) The company's disciplined focus on research and development ensures that its innovations are mission-driven.

"Proof matters in defense innovation," said Creighton. "We are pushing the limits of what is possible and have more high-profile trials planned. GUARD's ability to sustain operations in extreme winds validates not just our technology, but our role as a partner in persistently defending assets." 

About Windlift
Windlift's purpose is to ensure resilience and security where the world needs it most by delivering a platform that offers persistent operational oversight from the sky. Windlift has validated its category-defining technology through initial GUARD testing and is moving toward broader development and deployment. Future versions of Windlift teUAVs will expand on the C5ISR and C-UAS capabilities to incorporate airborne power generation, allowing for remote operation that will not require a separate power supply. From defense operations to disaster response and maritime security, Windlift is pushing the limits of mobile, infrastructure-free tethered autonomous aerial systems. Learn more at windlift.com.

Sources

1. "Piracy and Armed Robbery Attacks Up 50% in First Half of 2025." Shipping Telegraph, 10 July 2025, shippingtelegraph.com/piracy-news/piracy-and-armed-robbery-attacks-up-50-in-first-half-of-2025/.
2. Collins, Elodie. "Missile Defense Agency Soliciting Proposals for $151B SHIELD Multiple Award Contract." GovConWire, 12 Sept. 2025, govconwire.com/articles/mda-shield-contract-golden-dome-rfp. Accessed 15 Sept. 2025.
3. McNabb, Miriam. "Tomorrow, EU Ministers Will Meet to Discuss Europe's 'Drone Wall' — What That Means." DRONELIFE, 25 Sept. 2025, dronelife.com/2025/09/25/europes-drone-wall-what-that-means/.
4. Bridges, Vivian, et al. "Artificial Intelligence Provisions in the Fiscal Year 2026 House and Senate National Defense Authorization Acts." JD Supra, K&L Gates LLP, 17 Sept. 2025, jdsupra.com/legalnews/artificial-intelligence-provisions-in-3438125/. 
5. Vergun, David. "Pentagon to Increase Low-Cost Drone Production in U.S." Department of Defense News, U.S. Department of Defense, 16 July 2025, war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4246987/pentagon-to-increase-low-cost-drone-production-in-us/. 
6. "Windlift's Tethered System Advances with DoD Contract." DroneLife, Feb. 2025.
7. "Navy Lab Funds Durham Firm's Airborne Power Generator." Coastal Review, Oct. 2023, coastalreview.org/2023/10/navy-lab-funds-durham-firms-airborne-power-generator/.

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SOURCE Windlift