Four years after Honda’s Swindon factory closed with the loss of 3,000 jobs, the Wiltshire town is finding a new industrial role in an unexpected field: drone technology.
Nine drone companies now operate in Swindon, including German defence start-up Stark, Portuguese firm Tekever, Flyby Technology, Munin Dynamics and Icomat. Stark opened a 40,000 sq ft factory last November, while Tekever has moved into the Spectrum Building.
The companies are developing autonomous systems for military customers. Stark’s Virtus drone has been used by Ukrainian forces since 2025, while Tekever’s AR3 reconnaissance drone has completed 10,000 operational flight hours in Ukraine.
From car production to autonomous systems
Swindon’s automotive background is helping fuel the shift. Stark says 80 per cent of its workforce is local, including a former Honda apprentice, and Tekever is working with New College Swindon to develop local talent.
The town’s location also helps, with military customers nearby at Salisbury Plain and RAF headquarters in High Wycombe. The Ministry of Defence has opened a 370-acre drone-testing facility at Panattoni Park, the former Honda site, and signed a £400 million contract with Tekever for its AR5 long-endurance uncrewed aircraft system. Those systems will be manufactured in Swindon.
Why it matters for Britain
The investment is creating new skilled work for local people while strengthening the UK’s ability to develop and manufacture modern defence technology. It also gives Swindon a practical route into industrial regeneration after the Honda closure.
