Drones, drones, drones

Drones are changing the nature of war and our thinking about safety and security. An armed Russian drone hits a civilian target in Romania. Ukrainian drones enter the airspace of Finland and the Baltic states, due to Russian jamming. Saudi Arabia launches the production of Sky Wasp attack drones. Kuwait airport has been hit by drones. Long distance Ukrainian drones hit oil storage facilities in St Petersburg in Russia.

About 200 Ukrainian drone instructors are currently helping several Gulf region and wider Middle Eastern governments to defend against attacks with Shaheed drones and ballistic missiles, launched by Iran. Ukraine has the latest knowledge and daily experience with exactly that. President Zelenskyi of Ukraine offered this drone assistance upon request and has recently announced further collaboration with Saudi Arabia. For Ukraine it is a possibility to gather more international support for its defence against the Russian invasion and to showcase its hands-on knowledge of drone warfare. The technical developments are moving incredibly fast and they pose fundamental questions. Not only on drones warfare but also about industrial production, profits, internet, geo-politics and implications for meaningful peace.

Changes in kinetic warfare

Drones have forever changed the battlefield. We are a long way from the old US owned Reaper drones, that now look more like outdated miniature unmanned airplanes. The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia (2021-2025) is considered to be the first one, where drones made a difference. The ubiquity of Turkish made Bayraktar drones cemented the victory of Azerbaijan. The real swiftness of technical developments however, are now visible in Ukraine. Approximately 80 percent of strikes at the frontline are carried out by drones. The so-called kill-zone at the frontline is about 20-50 km deep. Drones can attack any person or vehicle in that area and soldiers increasingly fight the war from behind screens. The party accessing the latest drone technology with the ability to scale up production, has the upper hand in war.

Drones are relatively low-cost and highly effective against high-cost military equipment like tanks or ships. Drones are now used by everyone: not only by armies but by drugs cartels, local militia, police officers and border guards. Drones are relatively easy to construct and assemble. The main concern is the speed of technological developments. From the first Bayraktar drones, we have already moved through several generations of new types. From first person view (FPV) drones only , to armed drones with fibreglass cables and now mothership drones, drones programmed with AI and combined systems with drones and (ground) robotics (Robotics & Autonomous Systems RAS) .

Drones production

In Ukraine, civilians and the army are being attacked daily by Shaheed drones. First, Russia imported them from Iran. Now Shaheed drones have been licensed to Russia by Iran and improved versions are produced in Russia in large quantities. For defence, ordinary Ukrainian citizens, male and female, produce and assemble physical drones with 3D printers in workshops and garages. Often in direct contact with Ukrainian army brigades, so that delivery to the front is as fast as possible. Small and medium size companies in Ukraine handle the high-tech end. In the trenches, software and construction of drones are adjusted as needed on a continuous basis. The crucial element that makes drones production in Ukraine so successful is the close-knit relationship between the army in the battlefield and the drone producers. Everything learned in the war is immediately used to make a better drone, to defend against the latest drone type and to keep Ukrainians safe. New equipment is tested and immediate feedback is used for the next prototype. Knowledge is produced together.

Ukrainian drone companies have already been singled out for joint ventures with EU based companies. EU countries can thus access a key ingredient for their own defence. The added advantage for Ukraine is that production can also continue if Russia destroys a workplace. In October 2025, US based companies acquired access to Ukrainian drone production; competition between the USA and European countries for access to the latest technology is heating up.

Ukrainian drone companies are desperate for more capital and to scale up production; for Ukrainians, it is a matter of life and death. In November 2025, the KSE Institute in Kyiv even wrote a whole report titled: ‘From the battlefield to the future of warfare; harnessing Ukraine’s drone innovations to advance US military capabilities’. It showcased Ukraine’s expertise and its aim:

‘Ukraine has moved from being a recipient of military assistance to an innovator capable of scaling battlefield-tested technologies. Joint production could combine Ukrainian design expertise and combat experience with U.S. industrial capacity, logistics, and financing, creating the foundation for a mutually beneficial partnership. This approach would provide Ukraine with predictable financing, deeper economic integration with Western partners, and secure production chains, while NATO countries would gain access to solutions competitive with Russian and Chinese production models.’

Drones and The Netherlands

Moving with the times and maintaining a close relationship with Ukraine, the Dutch armed forces are quickly increasing their drones capabilities. In the 2024 Defense White paper, drones were already pinpointed as a crucial area for enhanced expertise and production (page 37). In September 2025, the Dutch Ministry of Defence has started a market consultation to acquire more than 1000 GUIDE-drones (Group Unmanned aircraft system ISR Drones), encouraging Dutch companies to participate. A Dutch Drone Centre has already been established, both for military and civil use. The Dutch Drone Centre Aviolanda is founded by Business Park Aviolanda and companies operating in the unmanned sector, mainly a testing ground. Both the Province of Noord Brabant as well as municipality Woensdrecht are shareholders.

Hyllus BV

One example of a relatively new company, which is copying the successful model of Ukrainian drone production, is Hyllus BV. The Enschede-based private company has established a close working relationship with Ukraine’s armed forces, via the Ukrainian platform Brave1. Hyllus produces drones, drone jammers and drone interceptors, although the company is registered as a wholesale company in drone parts. The USP of Hyllus is the fast turn-around. They request feed-back from the battlefield in Ukraine, through direct contact with a Ukrainian brigade, and 6 weeks later, a new prototype is being tested at the front. Feedback is immediately given and jointly a new model is designed. Drones are often produced in parts, so an IKEA-type package can be easily transported to the frontline. Swift assembly of a drone, in the difficult circumstances of underground bunkers under fire, is then executed by soldiers. Hyllus sales pitch is : Combat-proven modular drones, engineered between the Netherlands and the Ukrainian frontline.

Some unanswered questions

Compressed development cycles of drones are possible in Ukraine due to the need to defend the country. The circumstances have created a temporary ‘eco-system’ with close collaboration between the state, the armed forces, private companies and civilians. But is this the only model to follow for all European countries, striving for real safety and security and sustainable peace?

For drone production, public money is used once again to finance military products. It will be part of NATO countries’ commitment to spend 5% of their national income on defence. In whose hands do the profits of private companies end up, as security dynamics are changing worldwide? How will the fusion of civil and military technology around drones (e.g. Artificial Intelligence-AI) pan out?

With the speed of technical innovations around drones and robotics, fundamental questions pop up once more. Proliferation, moves incredibly fast; existing treaties and guidelines to hinder proliferation of arms need to be updated and enforceable for the current reality. Furthermore, urgent questions about the meaning of safety and security need to be asked again. If a cheap drome can target a nuclear installation with ease, what is safety, security or meaningful peace? If everyone can own low-costs military grade drones, what does defence entail?

In Sudan, civilian casualties due to the use of drones are increasing exponentially. If a kill-zone in Ukraine is 50 km wide (and growing), does this mean that large stretches of land will be permanently uninhabitable? Any cease-fire can be compromised with a 200 Euro drone. Technical developments and geo-political tensions need robust answers that prepare for sustainable peace, not only for defence and security. Is may not be as simple as the Hyllus tagline ‘Preserve humans.Send robots’ suggests.

June 2026

This blog results from Stop Wapenhandel’s Arms Trade Research Lab