Small American-made Drones Fail in Ukraine: WSJ

Small U.S. made drones have failed to make an impact on the Ukrainian battlefield, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Unmanned aerial systems have emerged as a critical capability for both Ukraine and Russia in the war, with Kyiv increasing its production and acquisition of drones. Despite receiving supplies of smaller U.S.-made drones, Ukraine has found them wanting in terms of performance and reliability.

According to arms transfer data released by the U.S. DoD, small UAVs supplied to Ukraine include Switchblade made by AeroVironment, Boeing Insitu-made Scan Eagle as well as the Black Hornet and finger-sized Scout drones produced by Teledyne FLIR.

Drone industry executives, Ukrainian officials, and former U.S. defense officials cited in the report described these American drones as costly, prone to technical issues, and challenging to maintain or repair. Moreover, they are said to be vulnerable to Russian electronic warfare systems, leading to navigation problems and loss during operations.

Adam Bry, CEO of Skydio, a company that provided hundreds of drones to Ukraine, remarked that the general perception of U.S. drones in Ukraine is that they are inferior to other available systems. "The general reputation for every class of U.S. drone in Ukraine is that they don't work as well as other systems," he said.

In response to the limitations of U.S. drones, Ukraine has increasingly turned to more affordable Chinese alternatives, such as products from SZ DJI Technology. Ukrainian drone manufacturers are integrating Chinese components into their domestic production, according to the Journal.

China has also become a major supplier of drones to Russia. Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov disclosed last October that the majority of Russia's drones are imported from China.

Despite the challenges, U.S.-made drones have seen some success in specific areas like investigating Russian war crimes, conducting search and rescue operations, and providing reconnaissance, as noted by the Wall Street Journal.

In recognition of the growing importance of drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a decree in February to establish a dedicated branch within the country's Armed Forces focused on drone operations.

Hanna Hvozdiar, Deputy Minister of Strategic Industries, stated that Ukraine has the capability to produce up to 150,000 drones monthly and anticipates reaching 2 million drones by year's end, showcasing the country's commitment to bolstering its drone capabilities amid the conflict.