Stark gained recognition after winning a tender alongside Helsing (manufacturer of the HX-2 loitering munition supplied to Ukraine) to deliver the first batch of kamikaze drones to the Bundeswehr. The company has now revealed specifications for its own development - the Stark One Way Effector-VTO (OWE-V), also known as Virtus.
According to the developers, the drone was designed directly based on combat experience in Ukraine. It features a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) system and integrates artificial intelligence into its targeting architecture.
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Німецький стартап Stark, має представництво у Києві та розсекретив деталі свого дрона-камікадзе Virtus, що може автономно, без зв'язку з оператором, уражати цілі на дальності до 100 км - https://t.co/o4fU3xmOlD pic.twitter.com/mtiUqvzurP — DEFENSE EXPRESS (@DEFENSEEXPRESS) April 14, 2025
With offices not only in Berlin and Munich, but also in Kyiv, the company's declared mission is to supply drones to NATO countries and key partners such as Ukraine.
Virtus has a cruising speed of 120 km/h and accelerates up to 250 km/h during its terminal dive toward a target. It can remain airborne for up to 60 minutes and carry a payload of up to 5 kilograms.
The drone is capable of striking targets up to 100 kilometers away, even in conditions of poor or no signal. This confirms its ability to operate autonomously, engaging predesignated targets in a specified area without relying on continuous communication.
The declared deployment time of the kamikaze drone into a launch-ready position is five minutes. The system also features a Return-and-Land function - if no target is found, the drone can be programmed to return and land safely, allowing it to be reused.
A critical element of any advanced loitering munition is its control system. Virtus is powered by Stark’s proprietary software, Minerva, which enables a single operator to control a large number of drones, making swarm deployment possible.
Stark also states that its production facilities are automated and capable of large-scale manufacturing. Furthermore, the company claims that all components and supply chains are sourced within Europe.
Updated: in an earlier version of this article, Defense Express assumed Ukrainian forces are already using Virtus drones on the battlefield. The Stark company representatives confirmed it is not the case, noting that "Virtus has undergone months of trials in Ukraine's demanding environment."
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