Second Front Systems and StirlingX Partner to Support UK Government with Secure, Sovereign Drone Deployments
Robotics

Second Front Systems and StirlingX Partner to Support UK Government with Secure, Sovereign Drone Deployments

sUAS News
sUAS NewsJan 13, 2026

Why It Matters

The deal shortens deployment cycles for trusted drone tech, bolstering UK defence resilience and safeguarding critical infrastructure against cyber threats.

Second Front Systems and StirlingX partner to support UK Government with secure, sovereign drone deployments

Second Front Systems (2F) partners with StirlingX to accelerate sovereign drone capabilities

Second Front Systems (2F), a leader in accelerating the adoption of commercial technology for defence, today announced its partnership with StirlingX, the UK‑based drone operations and data intelligence company. Together, the organisations will enable the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the national security community, and critical national infrastructure (CNI) operators to rapidly adopt sovereign, high‑assurance drone capabilities through a secure software deployment pathway.

The partnership provides StirlingX with a significantly accelerated and compliant route into sensitive government and enterprise environments. By leveraging 2F Game Warden, StirlingX can deliver its mission‑critical drone software directly into restricted and high‑security ecosystems – without the lengthy accreditation cycles traditionally required. This ensures operators receive secure, sovereign capabilities at the speed operational conditions demand.

“This partnership is a step‑change for how trusted drone technology is delivered into the UK defence ecosystem,” said Dean Jones, CEO of StirlingX. “By integrating our sovereign drone and data intelligence software into Second Front Systems’ secure deployment pathway, we’re removing one of the biggest barriers to adoption in high‑assurance environments. It means MOD, national security partners, and Critical National Infrastructure operators can access advanced, mission‑ready capabilities faster – strengthening UK resilience, protecting sensitive operations, and ensuring critical technology remains under national control.”

The partnership will integrate StirlingX’s flight‑control, data‑processing, and operational‑management software into Game Warden’s secure landing‑zone environment. This provides a unified solution suitable for highly sensitive operational contexts including MOD programmes, national security use cases, and CNI operations. The integration ensures that StirlingX’s software is protected from cyber threats, updated seamlessly, and deployed in full compliance with stringent UK security requirements – a critical need at a time when recent cyber incidents have disrupted operations across major UK manufacturers.

“Accelerating the delivery of trusted technology to mission users is exactly what Game Warden is built for,” said Enrique Oti, CSO at Second Front Systems. “StirlingX is developing some of the most capable, mission‑flexible autonomous aerial systems in the UK to generate critical mission data. This partnership ensures their sovereign capabilities can be quickly and efficiently deployed into secure environments – whether supporting MOD missions, safeguarding critical national infrastructure, or enabling high‑assurance operations for organisations with elevated security needs.”

Second Front Systems and StirlingX will begin coordinated go‑to‑market activity immediately, with early deployments expected to commence later this year.


About Second Front Systems

Second Front Systems Limited (2F) is the UK arm of Second Front Systems, a defence technology company founded to accelerate the secure delivery of software to allied nations worldwide. 2F provides proven, integrated solutions that enable the rapid deployment of mission‑critical commercial software—from mission planning and training systems to cybersecurity tools, productivity software, and secure large‑language models.

Assured by the UK Ministry of Defence and NATO, 2F strengthens digital sovereignty and allied interoperability by reducing the need for re‑approval, compliance review, or technical rework, ensuring secure software reaches the mission faster. Learn more at secondfront.co.uk.

About StirlingX

StirlingX is a UK technology company specialising in advanced drone operations and data intelligence for complex and high‑security environments, including Critical National Infrastructure and defence.

By integrating automated drone platforms, resilient communications, and AI‑driven analytics, StirlingX turns aerial and sensor data into actionable intelligence; accelerating decision‑making, improving efficiency, and reducing operational risk.

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