Draganfly’s drone partnership with DEF-C deepens its activities in Ukraine

Canadian drone hardware manufacturer and diversified service company Draganfly has announced it has been tapped by Ukraine aerial solutions specialist DEF-C to provide support for its work with civil and defense clients – and supply those customers with 30 reconnaissance UAVs.

Draganfly said it will equip DEF-C with those specialized drones, as well as others from its wide range of craft – from compact to heavy-lift UAVs as well as those adapted to medical and rescue operations – for use in its work with clients in Ukraine. DEF-C, which manufactures drones of its own, will act as a distribution channel under the agreement.

The Ukraine company is active in the energy, agriculture, urban planning, ecology, industry, oil, and gas sectors. It offers aerial services ranging from regular infrastructure monitoring, aerial photography, orthophotoplans, pipeline and thermal plant inspection, digital terrain monitoring, land inventory, and pilot training.

In its pairing with DEF-C, however, DraganFly’s drone work will be aimed more at projects to help Ukraine both get through the continuing Russian invasion and begin rebuilding, even as the conflict wages on. In particular, Draganfly will supply end users with more of its rugged, lightweight, fully automated reconnaissance drones through DEF-C.

In addition, the Saskatoon-based company says it will be supplying comprehensive equipment and solutions for emergency response, security, defense, and infrastructure, as well as mapping, support, and public services.

Its partnership with DEF-C will deepen Draganfly’sinvolvement with companies, nongovernmental agencies, and humanitarian groups in Ukraine working to minimize the hardships inflicted by Russia’s invasion by using drones as solutions.

In addition to providing UAVs for rapid medical transport and search and rescue missions for victims of Russian strikes, Draganfly has coordinated the operation of its drones with specialized Ukraine forces to detect and clear countless land mines that invading forces have buried across the country.

Read more: Draganfly drones neutralizing mines – not dropping explosives – in Ukraine

That enduring and varied support of the Ukraine society in its time of need has earned Draganfly the appreciation of the nation’s citizen groups, businesses, and government ministries ­– a level of confidence DEF-C also enjoys.

“DEF-C is a trusted provider to multiple Ukraine agencies [and] the integration of Draganfly’s solutions into our multiple civil and military projects has been well received,” said Yuri Syvytsky, DEF-C’s lead director. “We look forward to expanding this strategic partnership.”

Read: Draganfly — the first company to commercialize the drone

Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell also welcomed its linkup with DEF-C as another way for his company to deepen its efforts to assist Ukraine with the effective use of its drones.

“Draganfly has been helping to provide humanitarian aid since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine,” Chell said. “Our drones are playing an increasingly important role in Ukraine by providing the technology needed to assist with crucial missions and life-saving tasks. We will continue to support the people of Ukraine in any way we can.”