Military Drone & UAV Memory
Military Drone & UAV Memory Solutions
Unmanned aerial systems operate in environments where size, weight, and power are constrained by physics, and where a single storage failure can mean the permanent loss of mission critical data. Whether you’re building a tactical ISR platform, a BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) reconnaissance drone, or a loitering munition, the memory you specify matters more than it does in almost any other application.
Nexus Industrial Memory supplies ruggedised, high endurance memory for military UAVs and UAS platforms. M.2 SSDs, rugged MicroSD cards, BGA eMMC, and EEPROM-based serial memory from manufacturers that understand what ‘mission critical’ actually means.
Why UAV Memory Fails (And How We Solve It)
Consumer-grade storage wasn’t designed for military drones. Here’s what kills standard memory in UAV applications:
The Problem | Why It Matters | Our Solution |
|---|---|---|
Vibration & Shock | Vibration and landing impacts destroy consumer SSDs | MIL-STD-810H storage from Foremay/Flexxon + over-moulded Datakey tokens |
Power Loss | Sudden crashes corrupt data mid-write | Hardware Power Loss Protection (PLP) standard on all our SSD’s |
Extreme Temperatures | -40°C at altitude to +50°C desert operations | All products rated -40°C to +85°C minimum |
Write Cycles | Continuous mission recording exhausts cheap NAND in months | SLC/pSLC NAND: 100,000 P/E cycles vs 1,000 for consumer cards |
Consumer memory = mission failure. Industrial memory = mission success.
UAV Memory Solutions: Storage & Security
High-Endurance Storage (Foremay & Flexxon)
For mission data recording, sensor feeds, and video storage:
✓ M.2 SSDs (2242/2230) – NVMe/SATA, minimal SWaP impact
✓ Industrial MicroSD – pSLC NAND, -40°C to +85°C rated
✓ BGA eMMC – Soldered integration, fixed BOM for long programmes
✓ Hardware PLP – Data integrity guaranteed on power loss
✓ MIL-STD-810H tested – Proven in harsh environments
Foremay (USA): Military & space grade SSDs with secure erase, self-destruction, AES-256 encryption
Flexxon: Industrial NAND with locked firmware and extended lifecycle support
Secure Authentication & Data Transfer (Datakey)
For Access Control, Encrypted Communications, And Air-Gapped Data Transfer
✓ Cryptographic Ignition Keys (CIK) – Prevent unauthorised UAV operation
✓ CryptoAuthentication tokens – Hardware-based security trusted by UK/US Government
✓ Unique form factor – Physically incompatible with USB/SD ports = superior security
✓ Air-gapped firmware transfer – Update mission parameters without network exposure
✓ Serial memory (EEPROM/NOR) – Flight controller configuration storage
✓ 35-year track record – Long-term supply guaranteed
Perfect For: Ground control station authentication, secure mission data extraction, flight controller memory
Prevent Data Loss From Captured Drones
A downed UAV is an intelligence asset for adversaries. Your storage must protect classified data from recovery.
Hardware Encryption Options
Foremay SSDs: AES-256 encryption + hardware secure erase (NIST SP 800-88)
Kobra VS: NATO RESTRICTED rated, two-factor authentication, smartcard key management
Programmable Triggers: Auto-erase on geofence breach, impact, or unauthorised access
Speak To Nexus About Your UAV Memory Requirements
Military Specs Are Not Off-The-Shelf Decisions
Specifying memory for an unmanned platform is a systems-level decision that involves trade-offs between endurance, form factor, power budget, security requirements, and programme lifecycle. Getting it wrong means either over-specifying or under-specifying.
Our engineering team has been working with defence and aerospace customers since 1987. We can engage at the earliest stage of your design process – before you have committed to a form factor or interface, and help you arrive at the right specification for your platform and programme.
Call us on +44 (0)1794 301439, email info@nexusindustrialmemory.com, or use our contact form. We will come back to you directly.
- Datakey exclusive partners in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux and Scandinavia
- Appointed distributor of Flexxon in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Austria
- Appointed distributor of Foremay in the UK and EU
- Expert advice and customer service on hand at any time
DISCOVER HOW NEXUS CAN HELP YOU
APPLICATIONS AND CASE STUDIES
Military/Government
Datakey COTS, electronic keys and tokens are the de facto standard for ignition keys for all ‘at-rest’ and ‘in-transit’ encryption.
The rugged designs ensure reliable operation in the harshest tactical environments. The long-term availability of the products means your product life cycles can be measured in decades.
Medical
Datakey memory keys and tokens are used to authenticate and limit the use of a disposable medical device, or to positively pair two wireless medical devices incredibly securely.
The long-term availability of the products makes them the ideal choice for medical OEMs with long product life cycles.
Industrial Automation
Why rely on consumer USB flash drives and SD cards that aren’t designed for harsh industrial environments?
Datakey memory tokens are specifically designed for industrial use, being both rugged and secure. We can also offer IP67-rated panel-mount receptacles for outdoor or wash-down applications.
Transportation
Datakey products are the ideal fit for all secure transportation systems due to their incredible resistence.
The keys and tokens are rated for operation from -40 °C to +85 °C and have an unenviable 35-year history of reliable operation in the world’s most challenging environments.
Agriculture & Construction
Datakey memory devices can withstand the vibration, heat, humidity and dust found in agriculture and construction environments.
The devices can be dropped in mud, covered in oil, coated with dust, cleaned with diesel fluid, submerged in water and still do their job.
Renewable Energy
Datakey products make the perfect partner for renewable energy applications where exposure to the elements is vitally important.
Reliability is also critical due to the remote location of many renewably energy sites. Typical uses include calibration, parameter settings and data logging.
BENEFITS
Our memory solutions differ from off-the-shelf memory in three important ways:
Nexus Industrial Memory products are designed for demanding applications, offering unparalleled ruggedness and security.
Datakey‘s keys and tokens, for instance, are built with a solid over-moulding process that renders them impervious to liquids, resistant to chemicals like oil, medically sterilisable, and practically crush-proof.
Foremay provides rugged military and aerospace-grade SSD’s, including radiation-hardened drives able to withstand space travel.
Flexxon contributes industrial-grade memory, available in various densities, technologies, and form factors, engineered with wide temperature ranges to suit host devices sensitive to extreme conditions.