Chaklun UAV Manufacturer Developing Long-Range Strike Drone

A startup based in Dnipro, known for developing the Chaklun drone, has presented its own long-range unmanned aerial vehicle.

The new UAV was demonstrated to Deutsche Welle journalists.

Since 2022, the startup has been working on the development of a long-range drone capable of conducting reconnaissance missions or delivering payloads to designated targets.

Initially, the company operated with a small team; however, it now has 170 employees involved in drone production, which has significantly accelerated the development of new models.

“Many qualified specialists were mobilized at the time, so we now have to retrain others,” the company noted.

A significant part of the components used in the company’s drones is purchased abroad, as not all necessary parts are manufactured in Ukraine.

As a result, the team decided to equip the new drone with a DLE 111 two-cylinder gasoline engine, typically used in large-scale radio-controlled model aircraft.

This engine will provide the new Ukrainian drone with approximately 11 horsepower at 7,500 RPM, enabling it to carry a heavy payload and cover long distances without losing speed.

The development of new long-range drones reduces dependence on other Deep Strike UAV models. Competition also drives improvements in quality.

Currently, Ukrainian special services are actively using drones such as Liutyi, Bober, and other models to strike Russian targets deep behind enemy lines.

For example, the Liutyi drone carries a warhead weighing 75 kilograms and is capable of covering distances of over 1,000 kilometers.

Last year, Ukraine introduced the Peklo missile drones with a range of 700 kilometers. Thanks to its jet engine, it can reach a flight speed of up to 700 km/h.