Ukrainians are sounding the alarm that they are rapidly falling behind in the drone technology race with Russia and are calling for increased assistance. This issue extends beyond Ukraine’s borders, as drones are emerging as the primary tool in future conflicts. Sky News gained exclusive access to a Ukrainian drone factory to witness firsthand the ingenuity at work. Ukrainians have transformed drones into their most effective weapon against the invading forces.
However, sources indicate that they are now losing their advantage in the skies above Ukraine. General Cherry Drones, founded by volunteers at the onset of the war, has ramped up production from 100 drones per month to over a thousand times that output. Andriy Lavrenovych, the company’s representative, emphasized that despite this increase, production is still insufficient.
The factory’s location is kept secret due to the risk of Russian strikes; these assaults target weapons factories when possible. Inside an unassuming office building, drones are assembled and stacked by the thousands. While the quadcopters vary in size and function—with some carrying explosives and others acting as espionage tools—each drone is meticulously assembled and customized.
Despite Russia’s progress in mastering fibre optic-controlled drones that cannot be jammed, Ukrainian manufacturers still boast more effective prototypes. Nonetheless, Oleksandr “Drakar,” the head of new product development, pointed out that Russia’s earlier adoption and vast production volumes, supported by significant Chinese contributions, pose a formidable challenge.
The West’s assistance has fallen short compared to the level of support provided by China to Russia, hampering Ukraine’s ability to maintain its technological edge. Ukraine reports that drones are now responsible for 80% of battlefield strikes, and whoever dominates in this drone technology will have the upper hand in future conflicts. Therefore, any Western desire to remain advantageous in such wars will require much greater support for Ukraine and its burgeoning drone start-up companies.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-is-turning-warfare-into-a-sci-fi-battle-of-machines-and-the-west-has-work-to-do-13418216
