Drone warfare in Ukraine: laser tech and Ukraine's new long-range drone
Three key stories of the week: July 02 - 08, 2025.
Russia’s Shaheds are a symbol of the new “axis of evil,” according to The Times. Designed in Iran, equipped with components from China, and manufactured in Russia using North Korean labor, this kamikaze drone highlights that the U.S. cannot isolate itself from the growing cooperation among authoritarian regimes and the threats arising from it. Meanwhile, Ukraine—with its 500 drone producers—is striving for full localization of production, developing such a wide variety of unmanned systems that it becomes very difficult for the enemy to quickly adapt on the battlefield or apply effective countermeasures.
Talking about laser technologies and the new star of the show, the FP-1 long-range drone, in this digest.
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A First Point View: Examining Ukraine’s Drone Industry (Mariam Halstian for Georgetown Security Studies Review)
This report was published in May 2025. I provide a concise summary of the key points:
Ukraine’s drone industry has seen a remarkable increase in the range and volume of domestically produced autonomous systems.
At the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine relied on Chinese-manufactured drones. Today, Ukraine produces aerial and naval drones, including First Person View (FPV), bomber, interceptor, kamikaze, reconnaissance, and long-range deep-strike drones. Personally, I would also include unmanned ground vehicles (ground drones) in this list. Read more about these drones here.
Monthly FPV drone production capacity rose from 20,000 in 2024 to 200,000 in 2025, due to rising investments, improved supply chains, more efficient manufacturing.
Image credits: information from the following sources: Slovo i Dilo, Defense Express, Suspilne Media, collected and analyzed by Mariam Halstian for the original report. As of 2025, around 500 drone manufacturers operate in Ukraine, compared to just seven before the full-scale invasion.
Ukraine has made progress toward component localization:
Example: Vyriy sources 70% of its components domestically
The government incentivizes component localization:
Manufacturers producing over 50% of components domestically can secure long-term government contracts
Drone success rates vary:
Wired reports: success rates rose from 30% in 2022 to 70% in 2024 for high-quality Ukrainian drones
RUSI reports: 60–80% of FPV drones fail to reach targets, especially against armored vehicles
Still, short-range tactical drones account for 60–70% of Russian equipment losses
In 2024, the Armed Forces:
Conducted 130 long-range operations
Hit 377 targets in Russia, including bases, depots, defense facilities, oil refineries, and energy infrastructure
Commander-in-Chief Syrsky reported a 22% increase in targeting success in February 2025 compared to the previous month—largely due to FPV and bomber drones
Quantity has a quality of its own: Valery Borovyk (Bily Orel unit) attributed rising success rates more to quantity than precision
The industry must pursue both quality and quantity in drone production
As every innovation is met with countermeasures, manufacturers must continuously invest in technical upgrades
Ukrainian officials promote the development of new models, including fiber-optic drones; AI-guided drones more resistant to electronic warfare (EW)
Until such technologies scale, the quantity remains critical to offset Russian mass
In July 2022, Ukraine launched the Army of Drones strategy. Followed by Brave1, a government initiative supporting defense tech startups:
Since 2023, Brave1:
Issued over $8 million in grants
Supported 1,500 companies
Involved in 3,500 products
Provides state funding for R&D and product development
Ukraine now aims to become a Silicon Valley of defense technology, attracting international developers; innovators, and investors
A challenge: surplus supply vs. limited purchasing capacity
Despite grassroots and government procurement, production exceeds current demand
The government is now considering opening the arms export market
R&D and IP development lag behind grassroots innovation:
Ukraine filed a few drone-related patents between 2022 and 2023
Globally, such patents rose by 16%, from 16,800 (2022) to 19,700 (2023)
As Defense Express reports, this data refers to the years 2022–2023, when Ukraine's drone industry was still in its early stages of development. While patent activity is not always the most accurate indicator for a country at war, experts emphasize that protecting intellectual property remains an important step for the future of the sector
Despite increased government funding, the industry still relies on foreign investment. The 2025 defense budget covers only half of the drones offered by local manufacturers
Key structural challenges include: weak contracting mechanisms; lack of standardized benchmarks; insufficient long-term investment in R&D and advanced technologies
The government must build on innovation potential and manufacturing scale
Recommendations:
Improve procurement processes
Establish robust standards
Prioritize R&D and IP investment
Extend government contracts from one year to two or three years to support manufacturers' planning
Ukraine must balance:
Mass-producing affordable FPV drones
Investing in next-gen technologies, including:
Fiber-optic systems
AI-guided drones
Drone swarms
Continued support from Western partners is essential, especially:
EU and NATO allies
Cooperation opportunities include:
EU’s European Defence Fund (joint ventures and contracts)
NATO’s DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic)
For the context, recently it was reported, that the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine is guiding weapons manufacturers toward unified standards in unmanned systems production: “Currently, the arsenal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine includes dozens of FPV systems with similar tactical and technical specifications but differing in their platforms, combat payloads, software, and components sourced from various manufacturers. It is, therefore, essential to pursue the unification and standardization of specific categories of weapon systems to significantly enhance their operational effectiveness and simplify maintenance”.
Laser Tech: The Ukrainian Armed Forces Now Have a Drone with Laser Target Designation
The Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle R-34T, developed by FRDM Group, has been officially approved for use by units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Its primary function is laser target designation for the precision engagement of targets using guided munitions, including artillery and aviation munitions.