Custom engineering
When the catalogue is not enough, we design it.
IDI is an engineering company first. We design and build bespoke docking stations and custom UAVs in the UK, from concept and CAD through prototype, test, and manufacture, all native to the IDI Fly ecosystem.
We don't just supply drone systems. We engineer them.
The IDI Aquila and our ADS docking range are not bought-in and rebadged. They are designed and built in-house. That same team is available to design hardware around your operation when an off-the-shelf product will not do.
Custom docking stations
Docks built for your environment.
Bespoke enclosures, form factors, and power systems engineered for the conditions you operate in, from city-centre rooftops to off-grid remote sites. Ruggedised, weather sealed, and designed to dock the aircraft you fly.
- Custom form factors and mounting (fixed, mobile, pole, vehicle)
- Off-grid, solar, and hybrid power options
- Environmental ratings for extreme conditions
- Native IDI Fly control and dock APIs
Custom UAV design
Airframes designed around the mission.
The IDI Aquila is the proof: a UK-designed and built DFR quadcopter, engineered from the ground up. We bring the same capability to bespoke airframes, payload integrations, and new configurations, including the VTOL and fixed-wing concepts now in development.
- Bespoke multirotor, VTOL, and fixed-wing airframes
- Custom payload and sensor integration
- ArduPilot and MAVLink, commanded through IDI Fly
- Onboard edge AI and safety systems
On the drawing board
New airframes in development.
Concept designs extending the Aquila family for longer range and wider-area coverage.
Aquila VTOL
ConceptVertical take-off and landing for extended range without a runway.
Aquila Fixed Wing
ConceptLong-endurance fixed-wing for wide-area survey and persistent coverage.
In-house, end to end
From CAD to carbon fibre, under one roof.
Design, prototyping, and manufacture happen in-house in the UK. That means tighter iteration, full control of quality, and no black boxes in your supply chain.
From concept to deployed capability.
A clear, proven engineering process, with you involved at every stage.
Discover
We start with your mission, environment, payload, and constraints.
Design
In-house CAD and systems design, iterated with you against real requirements.
Prototype
Rapid prototyping and bench testing to prove the concept before commitment.
Test & certify
Flight test and a safety case built against the UK CAA framework.
Manufacture
UK manufacture with carbon-fibre and additive processes for repeatable quality.
Deploy & support
Integration with IDI Fly, rollout, training, and ongoing support.
Proof, not promises
Designed and built in-house.
Every product in the IDI range started as a custom engineering project. Here is some of what we have shipped.
Why design with IDI.
UK designed and built
Sovereign capability, engineered and manufactured in the UK for supply-chain control and resilience.
Ecosystem-native
Custom hardware still runs on IDI Fly and the MAVLink middle layer, so it works with everything else you operate.
Regulatory built in
We design with the CAA Specific Category and BVLOS in mind, and support the safety case from day one.
Have a project in mind?
Discuss your project
Tell us what you need to achieve and the constraints you are working within. We will tell you what is possible.
Start a conversationBook a scoping call
A focused session with our engineering team to pressure-test feasibility, timeline, and approach.
Book a callSee the platform
Explore the standard IDI ecosystem your custom hardware will plug into, end to end.
Explore solutionsTrusted by industry leaders
Tell us what you need to build.
Whether it is a dock for an unusual site or an airframe for a mission no catalogue covers, our UK engineering team is ready to scope it with you.