Reconnaissance drones to replace the DJI Mavic: Ukraine receives 1,000 units from domestic production

For tactical reconnaissance, the Mavic drones of Chinese manufacturer DJI have become virtually irreplaceable on both sides – already during the Donbas conflict before February 2022 and even more so since Russia's attack on Ukraine. The first reconnaissance drones developed in Ukraine are now reaching the front as replacements.

From 2023, China tightened its measures – officially directed at both warring parties – which are intended to restrict access to the civilian drones and protect their software against modification for military use.

That is one reason why Ukraine has repeatedly tried to make its military less dependent on imported systems. Several Ukrainian companies are working on in-house developments that could potentially replace the Chinese drones. Eight models were tested in autumn 2024; four of them were selected for possible procurement through government contracts.

Reconnaissance drones: first delivery and frontline demand

As First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has now announced, the first manufacturer has already delivered 1,000 units to the Ukrainian Army. Compared with the Mavic, the new drones are larger and more expensive, but they fly longer, have a greater range and carry a heavier payload.

What has become known about frontline demand is revealing: an infantry or mechanised brigade needs 1,000 drones per month. For the Ukrainian Armed Forces as a whole, annual demand for tactical reconnaissance drones is therefore in the hundreds of thousands.

Via the Brave-1 platform, Ukrainian units can now order around a dozen domestically produced drone types in almost 30 variants. On average, one unit costs about 4,000 euros without accessories.