Ukraine

Producers of specialized drones or craft with effective tech adaptable to defense purposes may be in for a boost in activity under the Pentagon’s new “Replicator” initiative, which seeks to supplement the traditionally huge, multi-year US defense programs by creating an array of fast, responsive “attritable autonomous systems” – with an anticipated emphasis on quickly manufactured UAVs.

Ukraine will be getting reinforcements to its broadening patchwork of counter-drone assets with the delivery of Cortex Typhon systems from Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, estimated to be worth around £56 million ($70 million).

Events this week in Ukraine have demonstrated the nation’s increasing commitment to small, quasi-consumer-grade first-person view drones (FPV) as vital assets in the nation’s battle to defeat invading Russian forces.

New moves unveiled by China threaten to further disrupt the already complicated business activities of global drone leader DJI in the US and elsewhere in the world, with Beijing saying it will impose new export restrictions on UAV technologies produced in the country.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) says it has delivered nine drones to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine to collect evidence of possible war crimes. As an independent agency of the US federal government, USAID has been pursuing accountability for war crimes and human rights abuse in Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.

As Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive against invading Russian troops attempts to increase momentum, the country is again turning to the same drones that have allowed it to defy Moscow’s far bigger and better-equipped army for nearly 18 months.

The US Army will be receiving considerable reinforcements of tactical Black Hornet micro drones to its current fleet, under a nearly $94 million agreement Washington has signed with producer Teledyne FLIR Defense that also involves an undisclosed number of the tiny reconnaissance UAVs heading to Ukraine.

Researchers at a Russian technology organization supporting the nation’s war against Ukraine say they’ve developed an application allowing first-person view (FPV) drones to be hidden in ideal attack locations, then reactivated out of “sleeping” mode for strikes on nearby targets at appointed times.

Increased supplies of so-called suicide drones will be among the munitions included in the $1.3 billion US aid package to Ukraine announced Wednesday – aerial reinforcements that officials said will include both Switchblade and still enigmatic Phoenix Ghost loitering UAVs.

Drone hardware and systems producer Draganfly has continued its recent burst of development and production activity with a veritable change-up pitch, revealing it created a new digital display messaging UAV with partner Promo Drone as it pursued its intense work with North American police and fire services and medical and emergency response organizations in Ukraine.

The defense unit of California tech company Teledyne FLIR has followed up on the $48 million contract it signed last year with Norway by finalizing a new deal to provide the nation’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) with a veritable fleet of Black Hornet nano drones destined for Ukraine’s defense efforts.

Canadian drone and systems company Draganfly is continuing its energetic business development and scaling activities with the creation of a new production facility that will allow the firm to keep pace with rising demand – the second manufacturing expansion it has undertaken in less than five months.

Autel Robotics has issued a fresh statement explaining that military use is not the “original intention” of its product design. The development comes on the heels of Autel “lookalike” drones being discovered under the brand name Patriot at the recently concluded St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Russia.

Canadian drone hardware and systems developer Draganfly is diversifying its aerial activities in Ukraine through a new, multi-year contract to create a UAV training program destined for agencies under command of the nation’s Interior Ministry, including the National Guard and police.

In what appears to be an example of new thinking arising at the right time to meet to shifting aerial demands – especially under the influence of Ukraine’s defense of the Russian invasion – San Diego-based company Firestorm Labs is preparing to offer entirely modular drones whose 3D-printing manufacturing process aims to offer considerable flexibility and speed of production in fulfilling defense and security users’ needs.

Canadian drone hardware and software solution specialist Draganfly has moved quickly to adapt the activity of its transport and situational awareness UAVs in Ukraine to provide emergency aerial support of efforts to rescue flooding victims in Kherson.

German developer of strategic and military drones Quantum-Systems has inaugurated multipurpose centers in Ukraine to strengthen its support of the nation’s defense against Russia’s seemingly endless invasion.

Offering supporting evidence to details in DroneDJ’s exclusive report on Ukraine’s covert military program preparing drone strikes deep inside Russia, UAVs struck Moscow this morning in what appears to have been a response to the wake of relentless aerial attacks on Kyiv in recent days.

Since Russian forces stormed their country last year, Ukraine fighters have continually stunned Moscow with their remarkably innovative and effective use of consumer, enterprise, and military-grade drones in attacking invaders’ positions and compounds. Now sources offer DroneDJ insights on how Ukraine’s planners are working to muscle-up UAVs for increased strikes inside Russia itself – activities that may have been behind explosions above the Kremlin in early May.

The owner of Utah security and defense UAV producer Teal drones, Red Cat Holdings, says it is moving to deliver 200 long-range first person view (FPV) UAVs to Ukraine for use in the nation’s anticipated counter-offensive against invading Russian forces. 

As the current Russian aerial battering of Kyiv and other cities indicates, military officials in Moscow are seeking to stave off a Ukraine counter-offense expected to be unleashed any day now – and for which the nation’s defense forces have trained 10,000 drone pilots.