An alternative to Mavic: seven reconnaissance drones tested in Ukraine

Ukrainian developers have unveiled seven reconnaissance drones that could become an alternative to DJI Mavic drones.

The tests took place in the presence of the Ministry of Strategic Industries and the Unmanned Systems Forces Command.

During the event, participants familiarized themselves with the technical characteristics and features of seven drones developed and manufactured in Ukraine.

The flight tests lasted three days under conditions of active electronic warfare (EW) and strong wind and rain.

“Our weapons engineers are working on the creation and continuous improvement of products in the category of reconnaissance multi-rotor UAVs,” they said during the event.

Ukraine is striving to create its own uninterrupted UAV ecosystem — from training to supply, from combat use to technical modernization.

Following the tests, manufacturers established contacts with military units to refine the products and conduct further testing in real combat conditions.

Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi stated that the Chinese company DJI, which manufactures Mavic drones, does not supply them to Ukraine, but instead helps to set up their production in Russia.

According to him, Mavic production lines are operating in Russia, where Chinese specialists are working.

“When someone asks whether China is helping Russia, how should we assess these actions?” Zelenskyi added.

Last year, the Defense Ministry’s Defense Procurement Agency purchased 4,000 DJI Mavic 3 drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine for more than half a billion hryvnias.

DJI Mavic 3 is an advanced quadcopter with a range of features and specifications that allow for taking high-quality photos and videos from the air. It is currently one of the most popular and advanced drones on the market.