The ‘housewives’ did well — Ukraine takes drone know-how abroad
By AFP
April 24, 2026
An operator from Ukraine's Skyfall tests a P1-Sun model
By AFP
April 24, 2026
An operator from Ukraine's Skyfall tests a P1-Sun model
- Copyright AFP/File Genya SAVILOV
Olga NEDBAEVA
Like something straight out of a spy movie, lots of cloak and dagger was required before AFP could meet three Ukrainian drone manufacturers on the fringes of a hush-hush defence forum in Paris earlier this month.
A rendezvous was set up on a bench near the Champs-Elysees, and a hint of Russian being spoken nearby prompted a quick change of hotel lounge at another interview.
The expertise Ukraine has honed with machines that have transformed the battlefield and left European armies trailing in their technological wake, is highly sought after, with their impact proved again in the Middle East war.
“When I talk to Europeans or Americans, they know very little” about these drones, said Olexandr, an engineer producing Ukraine’s “largest strike drone”, the Perun Max.
“We want to see how countries that have supported us, such as France, can benefit from our experience,” he added.
Made at secret locations across Ukraine by Bavovna, the Perun Max can carry “three projectiles, drop them on targets, return, reload and take off again,” making up to 30 sorties a night, he said.
The drone can transport loads of 32 kilos over 25 kilometres (15 miles) — food, water and medicine for soldiers in the trenches — or leaflets telling people “how to surrender properly and stay alive” in areas where the Russians are advancing.
Bavovna makes 1,000 drones per month, costing between 7,000 and 20,000 euros.
And the system can switch from GPS to optical navigation, flying with the antenna cut off for up to 20 kilometres.
– Two battalions ‘neutralised’ –
Skyfall — whose name is a nod to the Bond film — also began life when Russia invaded in 2022 and four engineers met up in a garage to build a drone capable of monitoring activity over Kyiv.
They soon decided to add a “dropping” capability, creating Vampire, which bombs, lays mines remotely and transports blood or generators.
Vampire reportedly took part in NATO exercises in May 2025 in Estonia, during which 10 Ukrainian drone operators “neutralised” 17 armoured vehicles and two enemy battalions, the Wall Street Journal said.
The “drone sky” renders the battlefield transparent, where men and armoured vehicles become targets as soon as they venture into no man’s land, French military officials and experts said.
“A French unit deployed today on the Ukrainian front against the Russian army would get thoroughly hammered. We must follow the Ukrainian army’s example if we want to stay in the game,” said Colonel Michel Goya, a former French marine officer and modern conflict analyst.
France is set to reassign 5,000 of 77,000 ground force troops to drone-related activities.
Faced with mass-produced products which are “designed to wear down our capabilities… we need systems which are just as massive, inexpensive, and easy to produce,” said General Bruno Baratz, hinting some in the French military hierarchy are reluctant to make the leap.
Bastien Mancini, CEO of French drone manufacturer Delair set up a firm in Ukraine and now supplies drones to the French military.
“Three years ago our drones were being shot down by Russian missiles that cost much more; today they are being shot down by much cheaper systems,” he told AFP.
– ‘Intelligent machine gun’ –
Shrike, another small FPV drone from Skyfall piloted via an onboard camera, costs just $500. Its makers boast it was the first to “shoot down a $10 million (Russian) Mi-8 helicopter in mid-flight.”
“These drones have destroyed enemy equipment worth several billion. We can produce over a million of them a year,” a Skyfall spokesman claimed.
A third model, the P1-Sun interceptor nicknamed Pisiun (penis), “has already destroyed some 2,500 (Iranian-designed) Shaheds and 1,500 other aerial targets,” he added.
“The priority remains the defence of Ukraine,” he insisted, which is why Kyiv must approve any international link-ups.
But “it would be good if the whole world saw that Ukrainian solutions don’t just work in Ukraine.”
The Khyzhak (Predator) system, equipped with a 7.62 mm machine gun, was first developed by Ukraine’s UGV Robotics for the Magura naval surface drones which have sunk or damaged several Russian warships in the Black Sea.
The idea of “turning a simple machine gun into a smart weapon” has now been extended to shooting down drones in flight,” said Dmytro Burakov of UGV.
“We’ve installed the system on Mi-8 and Airbus helicopters and that’s how we’re now shooting down Shaheds,” he said.
After talking to AFP, he rushed off to a meeting with Airbus Helicopters, who are developing their own more sophisticated drones, with some 30 planned for this year and twice that number by 2027.
The CEO of German tank giant Rheinmetall sparked a row last month by taking a pop at Kyiv’s drones, saying they were being made by “Ukrainian housewives” — though Armin Papperger later walked back the remarks.
“If Ukrainian drones made by housewives are destroying tanks, then the era of housewives is here,” quipped the Skyfall spokesman, further proof of how the old defence industry is rattled.
Olga NEDBAEVA
Like something straight out of a spy movie, lots of cloak and dagger was required before AFP could meet three Ukrainian drone manufacturers on the fringes of a hush-hush defence forum in Paris earlier this month.
A rendezvous was set up on a bench near the Champs-Elysees, and a hint of Russian being spoken nearby prompted a quick change of hotel lounge at another interview.
The expertise Ukraine has honed with machines that have transformed the battlefield and left European armies trailing in their technological wake, is highly sought after, with their impact proved again in the Middle East war.
“When I talk to Europeans or Americans, they know very little” about these drones, said Olexandr, an engineer producing Ukraine’s “largest strike drone”, the Perun Max.
“We want to see how countries that have supported us, such as France, can benefit from our experience,” he added.
Made at secret locations across Ukraine by Bavovna, the Perun Max can carry “three projectiles, drop them on targets, return, reload and take off again,” making up to 30 sorties a night, he said.
The drone can transport loads of 32 kilos over 25 kilometres (15 miles) — food, water and medicine for soldiers in the trenches — or leaflets telling people “how to surrender properly and stay alive” in areas where the Russians are advancing.
Bavovna makes 1,000 drones per month, costing between 7,000 and 20,000 euros.
And the system can switch from GPS to optical navigation, flying with the antenna cut off for up to 20 kilometres.
– Two battalions ‘neutralised’ –
Skyfall — whose name is a nod to the Bond film — also began life when Russia invaded in 2022 and four engineers met up in a garage to build a drone capable of monitoring activity over Kyiv.
They soon decided to add a “dropping” capability, creating Vampire, which bombs, lays mines remotely and transports blood or generators.
Vampire reportedly took part in NATO exercises in May 2025 in Estonia, during which 10 Ukrainian drone operators “neutralised” 17 armoured vehicles and two enemy battalions, the Wall Street Journal said.
The “drone sky” renders the battlefield transparent, where men and armoured vehicles become targets as soon as they venture into no man’s land, French military officials and experts said.
“A French unit deployed today on the Ukrainian front against the Russian army would get thoroughly hammered. We must follow the Ukrainian army’s example if we want to stay in the game,” said Colonel Michel Goya, a former French marine officer and modern conflict analyst.
France is set to reassign 5,000 of 77,000 ground force troops to drone-related activities.
Faced with mass-produced products which are “designed to wear down our capabilities… we need systems which are just as massive, inexpensive, and easy to produce,” said General Bruno Baratz, hinting some in the French military hierarchy are reluctant to make the leap.
Bastien Mancini, CEO of French drone manufacturer Delair set up a firm in Ukraine and now supplies drones to the French military.
“Three years ago our drones were being shot down by Russian missiles that cost much more; today they are being shot down by much cheaper systems,” he told AFP.
– ‘Intelligent machine gun’ –
Shrike, another small FPV drone from Skyfall piloted via an onboard camera, costs just $500. Its makers boast it was the first to “shoot down a $10 million (Russian) Mi-8 helicopter in mid-flight.”
“These drones have destroyed enemy equipment worth several billion. We can produce over a million of them a year,” a Skyfall spokesman claimed.
A third model, the P1-Sun interceptor nicknamed Pisiun (penis), “has already destroyed some 2,500 (Iranian-designed) Shaheds and 1,500 other aerial targets,” he added.
“The priority remains the defence of Ukraine,” he insisted, which is why Kyiv must approve any international link-ups.
But “it would be good if the whole world saw that Ukrainian solutions don’t just work in Ukraine.”
The Khyzhak (Predator) system, equipped with a 7.62 mm machine gun, was first developed by Ukraine’s UGV Robotics for the Magura naval surface drones which have sunk or damaged several Russian warships in the Black Sea.
The idea of “turning a simple machine gun into a smart weapon” has now been extended to shooting down drones in flight,” said Dmytro Burakov of UGV.
“We’ve installed the system on Mi-8 and Airbus helicopters and that’s how we’re now shooting down Shaheds,” he said.
After talking to AFP, he rushed off to a meeting with Airbus Helicopters, who are developing their own more sophisticated drones, with some 30 planned for this year and twice that number by 2027.
The CEO of German tank giant Rheinmetall sparked a row last month by taking a pop at Kyiv’s drones, saying they were being made by “Ukrainian housewives” — though Armin Papperger later walked back the remarks.
“If Ukrainian drones made by housewives are destroying tanks, then the era of housewives is here,” quipped the Skyfall spokesman, further proof of how the old defence industry is rattled.
By Dr. Tim Sandle
SCIENCE EDITOR
DIGITAL JOURNAL
April 23, 2026
ZenaTech drone flying over an ocean.
April 23, 2026
ZenaTech drone flying over an ocean.
Image (C) ZenaTech, reproduced with permission.
What is the current state of the drone market, both commercial and military? To help answer this and related questions, Digital Journal spoke with Linda Montgomery, Vice President of Corporate Development at ZenaTech.
ZenaTech (Nasdaq: ZENA) is a technology company developing AI-powered drones, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), and enterprise software solutions for commercial, government, and defence customers. Its platforms combine autonomous drones, cloud software, and data analytics to deliver mission-critical aerial intelligence across sectors including agriculture, logistics, surveying, infrastructure, and public safety.
Digital Journal: Can you provide a brief overview of ZenaTech and the company’s mission in advancing AI-powered drones and enterprise solutions?
Linda Montgomery: ZenaTech operates across three core business areas.
First, through ZenaDrone, we design and manufacture AI-enabled autonomous drones. Second, our Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) business provides drone-based solutions for inspections, surveying, power washing, and other enterprise applications—eliminating the complexity and cost of ownership. Third, we operate an established enterprise SaaS software business with 11 brands, providing a strong foundation of data, analytics, and software engineering expertise that directly supports our drone platforms.
Our solutions serve commercial, government, and defense customers, helping them improve speed, precision, data-driven decision-making, and operational safety. Increasingly, we are also building advanced AI drone systems for defense applications, including ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance), specialized cargo delivery, interceptor drones, and integrated maritime defense systems for counter-UAS missions.
DJ: How is ZenaTech’s Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) model helping businesses and government organizations deploy drone technology without the complexity of owning and managing fleets?
Montgomery: Our DaaS platform allows clients to access advanced turnkey drone capabilities through subscription and usage bases, eliminating the upfront capital costs and operational burdens of owning a fleet. ZenaTech manages everything from aircraft, pilots, compliance, and maintenance to data capture and analytics, delivering faster, safer, and more accurate outcomes. This model is particularly valuable for enterprises requiring standardized operations across multiple locations, allowing them to focus on insights and results rather than the logistics of drone management. Our DaaS network is scaling globally, supported by strategic acquisitions that integrate established service providers in low-tech or legacy businesses and AI-powered drone systems into existing operations.
Our customers include municipal, county and federal government agencies. They use drones for land survey’s for building projects like sub-divisions, roads, buildings, bridges etc.
DJ: ZenaTech develops several platforms, including the ZenaDrone 1000, IQ Nano, and the ZenaDrone 2000 Maritime Interceptor. What sets these systems apart in the industry?
Montgomery: ZenaTech’s drone portfolio is designed as an integrated ecosystem of AI-powered, mission-specific platforms that combine autonomous flight, advanced sensors, and enterprise software to address both commercial and defense applications.ZenaDrone 1000: Our flagship medium-sized, heavy-lift drone is built for outdoor and field operations, supporting applications such as crop management, surveying, and critical cargo delivery for defense. It is designed for durability and autonomy in complex environments, making it well-suited for ISR (inspection, surveillance, and reconnaissance) and logistics missions.
IQ Series (Nano, Square, Quad): Our IQ line of drones is tailored for commercial and enterprise use cases across industries.The IQ Nano is an indoor drone used for inventory management, security, and warehouse automation.The IQ Square is an outdoor drone designed for power washing and inspection applications in commercial and government settings.The IQ Quad is optimized for land surveys and mapping.
Together, these drones enable frequent, precise, and safer data collection, helping modernize traditionally manual, labor-intensive workflows.
Counter-UAS & Maritime Interceptor Systems: We are advancing a suite of next-generation defense solutions, including our Interceptor P-1 and additional maritime interceptor drones currently in prototype development. These systems are designed to detect and neutralize hostile drones at a fraction of the cost of traditional defense methods. Complementing this is the IQ Glider, an autonomous marine landing station that enables persistent maritime operations as part of a broader integrated defense system.
What sets ZenaTech apart is our ability to unify drone hardware, AI-driven autonomy, and data analytics into scalable solutions—whether deployed directly or through our Drone-as-a-Service model—allowing customers to improve speed, precision, safety, and decision-making across mission-critical operations.
DJ: How does ZenaTech approach innovation in the drone industry, and what types of challenges or opportunities drive your development of new products and solutions?
Montgomery: Innovation at ZenaTech is driven by real-world operational challenges in autonomy, mobility, cost, and safety across targeted commercial and defense sectors.
We focus on AI-enabled autonomous systems, mission-specific drone design, and enterprise software that transforms operational data into actionable insights. Emerging threats such as drone swarms, combined with the complexity of scaling UAV adoption across industries, continue to drive our R&D priorities.
Our innovation model is supported by in-house development, strategic acquisitions, and continuous iteration to ensure our technology evolves alongside market and regulatory needs.
DJ: Looking ahead, what emerging trends and opportunities do you see in the AI-powered drone and autonomous systems industry over the next five years, and how is ZenaTech positioned to lead in this space?
Montgomery: The AI-powered drone market is expanding rapidly, some market analysts say that the Drone as a Service segment may reach $355B by 2032- that’s over 25% growth rates annually, with growing demand for autonomous solutions across defense, industrial, and commercial sectors. Key trends include subscription-based UAV deployment, advanced counter-UAS systems, and increasing use of AI-driven operational analytics. ZenaTech is positioned to lead through our global DaaS network, integrated enterprise software, and a diversified drone portfolio that addresses both civilian and defense needs. By combining scalable operational models with next-generation drone technology, ZenaTech enables organizations to deploy drones efficiently- in the model they want from purchase to “as a service” model for, and improve safely, cost-effectively and smart data insights while staying ahead of evolving industry demands.
Regulatory changes- FAA opening up more of the airspace for drones. Military procurement cycles being made faster so Made in America drones can replace Chinese ones, the market leader, not banned in the US. Historic changes just in the last 2 years for the industry.
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