Commander 3 XL Drone

The Commander 3 XL Drone is a multirotor unmanned aircraft developed by DraganFly of Canada, sold as a modular commercial platform for public safety, agriculture, and industrial inspection missions.

Overview

The Commander 3 XL was announced by DraganFly in June 2022 as a weather-resistant, multi-mission multirotor intended to replace several single-purpose drones with one interchangeable-payload platform. It sits within DraganFly's broader multirotor product line, which also includes the Commander 3XL Hybrid, Apex, and Starling x.2 systems.

Since launch, the Commander 3 XL has been adopted by a range of civil and government customers. In November 2022, California agronomy consulting firm Agtegrity standardized on the platform for imagery mapping and heavy-payload work across large tracts of land, citing its flight time and Post-Processed Kinematic (PPK) positioning support. In September 2023, an undisclosed U.S. state geological survey selected the Commander 3 XL for geological research, environmental, and hazard-assessment surveying, and an industry energy research association separately chose the platform for infrastructure inspection standards work the same month.

The airframe has also been sold into government and defense-adjacent channels: DraganFly announced the Commander 3XL's enrolment in AUVSI's Green UAS cybersecurity certification programme, a pathway toward the U.S. Department of Defense's Blue UAS list, its selection by an unnamed major branch of the U.S. Department of Defense for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) use, and a further order from an undisclosed Asia-Pacific military customer for situational awareness, reconnaissance, and logistics support.

Design and capabilities

The Commander 3 XL is a multirotor airframe measuring approximately 1.63 m by 1.60 m with propellers attached, built around a modular fuselage with quick-detach arms and folding, retractable landing gear for a compact transport footprint. DraganFly's specification sheet lists a maximum takeoff weight of about 24.95 kg; the current product page lists payload capacity at up to 10 kg.

Manufacturer figures state a maximum flight duration of 50 minutes (about 0.83 hours), a maximum range of about 38.6 km, a top airspeed of about 72.4 km/h, and an operating ceiling of 10,000 ft (3,048 m) above sea level; these endurance, range, and speed figures are corroborated by independent DroneDJ coverage and by DraganFly's own customer-announcement press releases. The aircraft is electrically powered.

Payload options documented by the manufacturer include an electro-optical/infrared gimbal with zoom and thermal imaging, a precision delivery box, and a drop-down winch system. DraganFly states the platform supports both automated and manual flight operations.

Use cases

Documented civil applications include agricultural imagery mapping and payload delivery (Agtegrity, California), geological and environmental survey work (an undisclosed U.S. state geological survey), and industrial infrastructure inspection (an undisclosed industry energy research association). Documented government and defense applications include ISR support for a major branch of the U.S. Department of Defense and situational-awareness, reconnaissance, and logistics use by an undisclosed Asia-Pacific military customer.

Frequently asked questions

How long can the Commander 3 XL fly?

DraganFly states a maximum flight duration of 50 minutes (about 0.83 hours), varying with payload and conditions.

What is its range?

The manufacturer lists a maximum range of approximately 38.6 km.

How fast does it fly?

DraganFly's specification sheet lists a top airspeed of approximately 72.4 km/h.

How much can it carry?

The current product page lists payload capacity at up to 10 kg, against a maximum takeoff weight of about 24.95 kg.

What does it cost?

DraganFly's product page lists a starting price of $23,495 USD for the base platform.

Who uses the Commander 3 XL?

Named or documented users include Agtegrity (agriculture, California), an undisclosed U.S. state geological survey, an undisclosed industry energy research association, and undisclosed U.S. and Asia-Pacific defense customers.