Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The goal is to produce 1,000 drones a day – but that plan needs funding.
The goal is to produce 1,000 drones a day – but that plan needs funding.
What is happening?
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy recently revealed Ukraine needs $6 billion to scale up production of interceptor drones, targeting an ambitious goal of 1,000 units per day.
Drones now defend against drones
What started as tools for reconnaissance and precision strikes, drones are now facing off against each other in the skies.
Ukrainian interceptors are taking down Russian drones that once roamed relatively freely, becoming a vital part of Ukraine’s air defense.
Charities play a key role in drone warfare
In just two months, one Ukrainian military charity says its supplied interceptor drones have shot down roughly 1,500 Russian devices.
These include reconnaissance drones and “kamikaze” models used to target urban areas.
Saving missiles for bigger threats
Interceptor drones provide a cost-effective alternative to using expensive Western or Soviet-era air defense missiles.
Ukrainian forces say drones can down enemy targets at a fraction of the cost — just 20% of what it takes using a missile.
Slowing the enemy’s surveillance
Colonel Serhiy Nonka tells Reuters, that the reach of Russian reconnaissance drones has shrunk considerably thanks to these interceptors.
Enemy spotter drones no longer penetrate as deeply into Ukrainian territory, limiting their ability to guide attacks.
Speed and power give interceptors an edge
Some Ukrainian interceptor drones are believed to reach speeds over 300 kph (190 mph), making them fast enough to catch up with and destroy even the nimble Russian Shahed drones that bombard Ukrainian cities at night.
Interceptors operated in first-person view
These drones are flown using live video feeds by ground-based pilots — the same FPV (First Person View) system used in frontline attack drones.
Civilian donations fuel the drone arsenal
Most interceptor drones are funded through civilian donations, funneled via military charities like “Come Back Alive.”
This group alone supplies 90 units and claims to have helped down more than 3,000 Russian drones since launching the initiative.
Not a Silver Bullet – yet
While effective, interceptor drones still fall short against high-speed missiles and Russia’s newer jet-powered attack drones.
Nonetheless, the damage they inflict is substantial — reportedly taking out $195 million worth of Russian hardware for a fraction of that cost.
An escalating drone arms race
Both sides are now locked in a rapidly evolving drone war. Russia is adapting, deploying its own interceptors.
Experts predict these drone-on-drone battles will only intensify, becoming a staple of modern warfare in the weeks and months ahead.
