Ukraine launches serial production of $2,000 cobra strike drone, outpacing global competitors
Mass production of Ukraine’s Cobra strike drone has officially commenced, Army of Drones reported on Dec. 20.
With a price tag of just $2,000, the Cobra is more cost-effective than both foreign and domestic counterparts, including the Iranian Shahed flying bomb drone, with which Russia has been attacking Ukrainian cities since last 2022.
Read also: Ukraine to produce a million drones in 2024 — Zelenskyy
The Ukrainian drone’s manufacturers have opted for metal over composite materials in the production of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
The Cobra boasts a 300 kilometer flight range and a payload capacity of 15 kilograms.
Read also: Russian drones outnumber Ukraine’s seven to one, says army commander
Initially compared to the Iranian Shahed in early 2023, developers highlighted the Cobra’s affordability. They revealed that a team of 10 individuals can assemble one unit from scratch within three hours.
The drone underwent testing on the range in February, and in September, Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov reported a remarkable surge in Ukrainian drone production, exceeding 100 times the previous year’s output. He anticipates further growth by year-end.
Approximately 200 companies engaged in drone production operate in Ukraine, Fedorov said on Nov. 21.
Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin disclosed in December that Ukraine manufactures the “absolute majority” of drones used on the front lines, ranging from the smallest FPV drones to long-range analogs of the Shahed.
Read also: Ukrainian drone operators keep hitting Russian soldiers caught ‘desecrating’ Ukrainian land – video
During a press conference on Dec. 19, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Ukraine’s ambitious plan to manufacture one million drones for the Defense Forces in 2024, specifying that they are FPV drones, as outlined by Kamyshin.
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