KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 — Capable of accelerating up to 300 kilometres per hour (km/h) to neutralise aerial threats, the high-speed interceptor drone ‘The Ghost’ has emerged as a strategic shield for the nation, developed entirely through local expertise.
The drone, developed by local technology firm Shah Maju Group (SMG) Aviation, is seen as a step towards strengthening the country’s defence system against hybrid threats, while complementing the defence ecosystem of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and other security agencies in addressing airspace intrusions.
SMG Aviation director Sharifah Anissa Syed Shabahar said ‘The Ghost’ was specifically designed to intercept and disable enemy drones with exceptional speed.
“This drone weighs about 650 grammes and can accelerate up to 300 km/h, making it among the fastest interceptor drones in its category produced locally,” she told Bernama at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security (NATSEC) Asia 2026 exhibition here today.
The drone, developed at a research and development (R&D) laboratory in Wangsa Maju, demonstrates competitive operational capability with a range of between 10 and 15 kilometres (km), and can operate at a maximum altitude of up to five km above sea level.
In terms of endurance, the drone is equipped with a battery that supports a flight time of up to 15 minutes, and is capable of carrying a payload of up to 350 grammes.
In addition, its design, with a wheelbase of 230mm, ensures it remains compact yet aerodynamic for aerial interception missions.
Elaborating further, Sharifah Anissa said reliance on foreign defence assets carries inherent risks, particularly in terms of system sabotage or technology restrictions during conflicts.
“The entire system, from the ‘brain’ to the body of the drone, is produced 100 per cent locally by five of our young engineers. By having our own assets, we maintain full control over system security without concerns of external interference or the risk of jamming by manufacturing countries,” she said.
To date, ‘The Ghost’ has proven its effectiveness through a series of flight tests and interception simulations involving target drones.
The project, which has incurred R&D costs exceeding RM1 million, will soon enter a second phase of testing in collaboration with the Science and Technology Research Institute for Defence (STRIDE) to ensure it meets stringent standards before being officially proposed to the Ministry of Defence.
SMG Aviation has previously supplied various tactical equipment to government agencies and is now committed to positioning Malaysia as a competitive producer of combat drone technology in the region.
