Ukraine makes FPV drones without Chinese pieces and at a lower cost

At a time when reduction of imports and the strengthening of national capacities are increasingly important, Ukraine has achieved what seemed impossible: producing drones using components entirely manufactured locally. This gives them an unequaled capacity to develop and produce drones in their exact needs. More surprising is the cost. Rather than adding a premium, by locally building the Ukrainian sub-cities in making Chinese manufacturers.

The first 1,000 FPV

Last month, Ukrainian manufacturers Vyriy Drone made an official transfer of the first batch of 1,000 “all-Ukrainian” FPV drones. A company spokesman said the government did not ask for local production, but that it was a long-term objective of the company. Vyriy drones have been making FPV for over two years.

The spokesperson noted that Vyriy manufactured his own frames, initiation committees, flight controllers and radio systems, and other components, including cameras and video issuers and cameras, come from Ukrainian companies.

It is important to note that some of the electronic chips insofar as makeup devices can actually come from China or other countries. But these are simple constituent elements, basic products that can come from the United States and Japan. They are very different from the specialized end products for drones such as flight controllers.

Dr. Oleksandra Molloy of the University of New South Wales is the author of a study by Australian Army Research Center on the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine. This highlights the importance of the production of sovereign drones.

“While since the start of the war, most of the components have been brought from China, most of them are now produced locally,” said Molloy. “Ukrainian manufacturers are constantly looking for components to improve them.”

China would serve export controls on the sale of components used in the production of drones. Cutting China from the supply chain removes critical dependence.

Locally manufactured drones cost less than those made with Chinese parts thanks to the concerted efforts of local businesses to produce specific components,

“Initially, there was a generally accepted opinion that China could not be beaten on the price,” wrote Ukrainian analyst Serhii Flash on his telegram channel. “Never. But competition, time, volumes, optimization of commercial processes are wondering. ”

Flash shares a graph showing how the prices of various components manufactured locally, including engines, executives and propellers, have dropped an average of around 50% in the past two years.

Make your own thermal imagery

Managers and propellers are relatively easy to make without a major investment in production machines. Other components are more difficult. In 2024, we pointed out how Ukrainian manufacturers Wild Hornets manufactured their own flight controllers on a robotic mounting chain, then set up a similar process to make their own drone batteries.

Specialized companies have gone further. Thermal imaging is a particular challenge and FPV manufacturers have devoted a lot of time and efforts to find Chinese suppliers who meet their cost and capacity requirements. In other countries, the defense sector is unique to high -end thermal imaging and price is not a factor. Drone manufacturers have a tighter budget. A military imagery of $ 2,000 is not a viable proposal for a FPV of $ 400,

In October 2024, the Ukrainian start-up ODD Systems announced that it produced locally manufactured thermal imagers. These are comparable to Chinese imaging 256×192 pixels, but about 20% cheaper at $ 250. Obvious systems say they can make their Kurbas-256 in volume, the unit price will drop even more.

Above all, the Kurbas-256 is designed for FPVs rather than for general industrial use. The developers spoke to drone operators of their combat experience with commercial Chinese thermal imaging cameras and have changed their design accordingly. For example, some Chinese cameras suffer from condensation forming inside, which makes them unusable, so that Kurbas cameras are delivered in a sealed sealed unit to avoid condensation.

“We studied the experience and considered the wishes of FPV operators. We have created a Ukrainian product with total control of low level hardware and software “,” The company told Militarni.

For example, the operator can adjust the output of the Kurbas-256 in flight, modifying the contrast for a clearer image depending on the conditions. In addition, most thermal cameras have an automatic calibration that sometimes freezes the image for several seconds. This is not a problem for most applications but disastrous on a drone, so strange systems cameras do not have this “functionality”.

A strategic decision

In addition to providing advantages to the micro-scale of drone exploitation, local production is essential at the macro defense supply scale, because drones now dominate the battlefield.

“(Production capacity of sovereign drones) allows a faster cycle of innovation and adaptation, by rapid response to the needs of the army and the rapid implementation of the requirement,” explains Molloy. “Local production makes it possible to control all aspects of the technological process, including the improvement and adaptation to the specific military needs of the country, and to reduce the risks of defective parties.”

This also means not being forced to count on, for example China, for components.

“Interior production reduces vulnerabilities associated with international disruption of the supply chain and potential political constraints on foreign purchases,” explains Molloy.

And, as we see in Ukraine, it can mean getting more drones for less. Molloy notes that other countries are now starting to wake up with the importance of local production, many of them directly derive from the experience of Ukraine.

“In Europe, for example, many countries invest in the creation of joint manufacturing of UAV components,” explains Molloy. “This has become possible thanks to a collaboration between manufacturers and local businesses. Many countries, including the United Kingdom, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Netherlands, learn from Ukraine and collaborate with Ukraine, while intensifying the production of UAV and their components. ”

Countries like Australia and the United States are investing in drone technology, but not on a scale that many would like to see. Last year, George Matus, CEO of Teal Drones, argued that the United States could transform the drone infrastructure for the price of an F-35. This has not yet occurred, although there is clearly a renewed accent in the reduction of reports.

On April 7, the Naval Twitter / X user displayed that “Any country that cannot make its own drones will be a vassal state ”- A feeling welcomed with an emoji from Bullseye of Elon Musk.

Ukraine is about to produce more than four million drones this year. A growing proportion of these will be made from local components. Drones already inflicting the majority of combat losses, this production will be the cornerstone of the war effort against Russia.

After the war, the production of Ukrainian drones can become an important ultramodern, because other nations without this type of production capacity rush to build their own drone arsenals.