Ukraine Emerges as a Drone Powerhouse
Ukraine has established itself as a "drone powerhouse", catering to military needs while expanding its footprint in international markets. Ukrainian companies are producing around four million UAVs of various types each year.
These include both affordable FPV drones and long-range strike UAVs. In contrast, the United States manufactures about 100,000 military drones annually.
"It’s not just about quantity — but also diversity. Probably more than all NATO countries combined," noted RAND analyst Michael Bonert.
Some Ukrainian drone manufacturers have already entered the EU market. For instance, Skyeton has opened a facility in Slovakia and has established partnerships with Denmark and the United Kingdom. This company produces reconnaissance drones capable of flying for up to 24 hours.
Another domestic firm, TSIR, is currently operating in Finland, preparing to launch a drone production line. Eventually, they plan to produce drones for NATO.
Funding plays a crucial role in this expansion. The FlyWell consortium, which includes several Ukrainian drone manufacturers, aims to raise approximately $50 million to finance additional European production and research projects, including developing hydrogen fuel cells for drones. Establishing production in Europe will create a secure environment, making them less vulnerable to Russian threats.
New solutions are also being developed by European companies. Finnish Summa Defence is self-funding its production and has already created prototypes of three models that can enter mass production right after testing in Ukraine. Part of the output will be directed to NATO countries, but Ukraine remains a priority.
Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the launch of mass production for a new drone model that will serve as an alternative to the Chinese Mavic UAVs. According to him, an alternative has been found, but details about the specific drones are still under wraps.
