Ukraine ramps up drone tech with 20 new fiber-optic drones in 2025 — Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this in an address on April 7.

According to him, drone production in Ukraine is “being maximally increased.” This includes all types of drones, from Mavics to long-range drones. Ukraine’s capabilities for producing ground-based robotic systems are also expanding.

Zelenskyy specifically highlighted work on fiber-optic drones: just since the beginning of this year, more than 20 new certified models of drones with fiber-optic control systems have been developed.

So far, 11 Ukrainian companies have mastered the production of such drones, and according to Zelenskyy, the main goal is “to achieve the largest possible scale of production and supply.” The President stated that he had instructed the state to sign contracts with these manufacturers.

For reference. A fiber-optic drone is an FPV drone in which control and video signals are transmitted via a fiber-optic cable. The main advantage of such FPV drones is that they are not vulnerable to electronic warfare systems (EW) and other signal interference.

• The Brave1 defense technology cluster conducted the first tests in Ukraine of fiber-optic FPV drones, capable of striking enemy targets at distances of over 20 km.