28 June 2024

“I’ve never met drone users as sophisticated as the folks in Ukraine,” says Adam Bry, Skydio CEO. “We want a team there.”

With that, the U.S. drone manufacturer announced a strategy to expand its business in Ukraine. Currently, Skydio is hiring engineers and customer support staff, with an eye to kicking off manufacturing in the country—possibly beginning with smaller components before going full-on with drone builds. 

It's no secret that small, consumer drones have earned their combat stripes during the war in Ukraine, and many global drone makers have been testing equipment during the conflict. It's also not a secret the majority of the drones deployed in Ukraine are typically manufactured in China.

Skydio's major defense contract is with the U.S. Army's Short Range Reconnaissance program, and Bry stated his company is looking to Ukraine's needs for future product development. Skydio's new X10D drone—which it is proposing for the U.S. contract's next phase in 2025—has already been requested by the Ukraine Ministry of Interior. Skydio has provided Ukraine with appoximately 1,000 drones since the Russian invasion of the country in 2022.

"The requirements laid out by the U.S. Army are similar to what Ukraine needs," says Bry, "but they're not 'one for one.' However, where there’s discrepancy, we’re prioritizing what we’re seeing in Ukraine, and this has been a shift in strategy for us. For example, Ukraine wants drones that can counter Russian jamming—which is not what the Army's short-range reconnaissance program has focused on to this point. But we consider Ukraine the proving ground for small drones. If they can survive there, that should be a good sales pitch for the U.S. military, as well. While it may be a risk from a business standpoint, I think it’s a risk worth taking.”

Skydio recently established a National Security Advisory Board to work with its executive team to help guide strategies and tactics in the defense space. The initial board was reported to include General (US Army Ret.) Austin ‘Scott’ Miller, Dr. Nadia Schadlow (Former Deputy National Security Advisor), Peter W. Singer (military futurist and senior fellow at New America), Lieutenant General (US Air Force Ret.) Kirk Pierce, and Major General (Royal Australian Army Ret.) Mick Ryan.