EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance Lays Groundwork for Joint Unmanned Systems Market

The EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance held its first Board meeting in Brussels on Sept. 11, bringing together 18 founding companies from Ukraine and the European Union (EU) to establish priorities for cooperation in the unmanned systems sector. The inaugural meeting focused on defining the Alliance’s key areas of work and outlining the next steps for its two-year mandate.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. For Ukrainian drone manufacturer Athlon Avia, which co-founded the Alliance, the long-term goal is to create a joint EU-Ukraine market for unmanned aerial systems. According to Athlon Avia’s press service, such a market would give European countries broader access to Ukrainian drone technologies while allowing Ukrainian manufacturers to establish production capabilities in the EU. The company said developing production outside Ukraine has become increasingly important amid the ongoing war and security threats. “Ukraine should be not only a source of unique combat experience for Europe, but also a full-fledged participant in shaping Europe’s defence-industrial priorities and future capabilities,” said Artem Vyunnyk, co-founder of Athlon Avia. “Together, we must focus on making the Alliance meaningful and influential. Our cooperation should result in solutions that carry real weight for both the Ukrainian and European defense industries,” he added. The participating companies agreed on several priority areas, including strengthening supply-chain resilience, enabling secure cooperation between defense-industry companies, scaling up production, and creating opportunities for joint testing and innovation. Other Topics of Interest Hackers Breach Russia’s ‘Invulnerable’ Voting System Ahead of State Duma Elections Hacking group announces breach of Russia’s Central Election Commission and the contractor responsible for developing the GАS “Elections 2.0” system They also agreed to establish direct communication channels between member companies to facilitate cooperation. Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defense and Space, described the inaugural Board meeting as a historic step toward deeper integration between Ukraine and the EU’s defense industries. “Europe must learn to conduct drone warfare as one and learn from Ukraine. In a sense, this Alliance can become a kind of academy of Ukraine’s wartime experience,” Kubilius said. “We’re trying to learn from them a lot, how the ecosystem functions, how the government and drone industries function together,” Simonas Šatūnas, head of Kubilius’s cabinet, said of the alliance in early September. The EU–Ukraine Drone Alliance was established with a two-year mandate. At its next meeting, members are expected to agree on the Alliance’s governance structure and further define its operational priorities. The group includes these 18 companies: ORQA, Indra Group, Fincantieri, WB Electronics/WB Group, Destinus, Delair, RSI Europe, TERMA A/S and Quantum Systems on the EU side; and Skyfall Industries, Greentech Harvest, Tencore, Deviro, Vyriy Industry, Scientifim, ATHLON AVIA Scientific Production Company, TAF Industries, UFORCE and F-Drones from Ukraine. The Commission called for alliance members in early May, saying its main goals would be to “contribute to European efforts towards a comprehensive European drone and counter-drone capacity” and to “offer a multi-layered and multilevel framework, able to link sensors and effectors across Europe and to support decision-making processes.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen first proposed the drone alliance in her State of the Union address last year, as part of a broader set of measures aimed at responding to incursions into EU member states’ airspace. Since then, the Commission has signed a new “defense industrial partnership” with Ukraine centered on an EU-Ukraine “drone deal.” The agreement aims to “provide a single, coherent EU-Ukraine framework to facilitate, coordinate and support” the implementation of drone agreements Kyiv has signed with several EU and EFTA capitals. The partnership could receive up to €10 billion ($11.6 billion) in unspent Security Action for Europe (SAFE) funds, von der Leyen said during a July 15 visit to Kyiv. Eastern European countries have faced repeated drone incursions in recent months and are calling for the next EU budget to account for the impact of Russia’s war on frontline states. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.