The Ukrainian Armed Forces has combined with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's United24 charity to raise $25 million for an Army of Drones, a project aiming to purchase about 200 aerial reconnaissance vehicles for the war against Russia.
Most donations have come from the United States, Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Israel so far, according to Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's minister of digital transformation.
Besides hardware, Fedorov says officials also plan to increase the number of drone pilot schools, with 400 operators having been trained with the money raised.
"It is very important that there are experienced pilots. To do this, we help the development of schools that teach how to operate drones," he said. "Now we have two active schools, but in the near future there will be 10 more such institutions."
Ukraine already has signed contracts for around $9 million to purchase 20 drones from Fly Eye and 78 from Matrice, as well as two ground control systems for 20 Warmate kamikaze drones.
As of this week, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have received one ground control system, four Fly Eye drones and a handful of DJI Matrice 300 drones.
Fly Eye drones can fly at 100 mph and launch by hand, without a ground control system. They are compatible with Western missile and artillery systems and will automate the usually arduous artillery firing process. DJI Matrice drones have powerful cameras and thermal imaging systems.
United24 was launched on May 5, more than two months after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 as a global initiative to raise funds for the war.
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