Drone manufacturer UDS opens production facility in Ukraine

The Lithuanian drone manufacturer Unmanned Defense Systems (UDS) is now also producing in Ukraine: as the company announced on its website, it has opened its own manufacturing facility there. It is operated by a joint venture called “UDS Ukraine”. According to UDS representatives, the aim is to maintain a permanent presence in the country and to cooperate in the long term with the Ukrainian armed forces, local technology companies and other partners.

Inga Stanytė-Toločkienė, Lithuania's ambassador to Ukraine, underlined the importance of the site:

“For companies in the defence industry, a presence in Ukraine is no longer an option but a necessity. It is precisely here that technologies tailored to the real requirements of the battlefield can be tested, refined and further developed”— Inga Stanytė-Toločkienė, Lithuania's ambassador to Ukraine

She added:

“That is why we welcome UDS's decision to build a presence in Ukraine, to work directly with Ukrainian partners and to develop solutions shaped together with those at the front.”— Inga Stanytė-Toločkienė, Lithuania's ambassador to Ukraine

What the drone manufacturer plans on the ground

On the ground, the new team works closely with partners and users from Ukraine. Specifically, the joint venture's tasks include introducing the products and training operating personnel; it also advises organisations that work with UDS drones.

On the occasion of the site's opening, the company stated in a press release:

“At the same time, Ukraine's unique operational experience will provide important feedback for the further development of UDS systems”— UDS

“By combining the technical competencies of UDS with the expertise of Ukrainian users of defence equipment, the company aims to develop solutions that meet the constantly changing requirements of the battlefield.”— UDS

According to Stepan Veselovskyi, CEO and co-owner of the subsidiary, UDS Ukraine is to be built up as a Ukrainian company that knows the local market and integrates into the country's defence industry. Vytenis Buzas, co-founder and CEO of UDS, emphasised that it was not just about delivering products; the aim, rather, was to be present for the long term.

UDS's range comprises unmanned systems for precision strikes, for command and control, and for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR). Specifically, the manufacturer offers the FORECASTER reconnaissance drone and the AVENGER 5 attack drone, as well as the HAULER multi-purpose system and the SWARM C2 software platform. According to UDS, all of these systems have an open design (open architecture), so they can be integrated into third-party platforms and battle management systems.