Israeli Army to Open FPV Drone Factory Staffed by Ultra-Orthodox Soldiers

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will build a military factory to manufacture thousands of FPV drones, staffed by ultra-Orthodox soldiers.

Military correspondent Doron Kadosh reported this on X.

The factory is intended to significantly expand the IDF’s fleet of kamikaze drones and improve combat effectiveness on the battlefield.

Previously, the Israeli army purchased FPV drones from a local company, some of whose production facilities are located in China. Now, the IDF aims to localize production in Israel under the supervision of the army’s Technology and Logistics Directorate.

The factory is expected to employ around 200 ultra-Orthodox soldiers, who will undergo special training and work on assembling the drones.

The first soldiers are expected to arrive at the factory in June. Within two months, the facility is expected to begin delivering FPV drones to the Israeli army in large volumes — initially several thousand per month, with output later potentially rising to tens of thousands.

Israel first began using FPV drones against Hezbollah in November 2024.

Later, in August 2025, the Israeli government officially purchased drones of this class for the army for the first time.

At that time, the Ground Forces selected Xtend as the winner of a tender to supply 5,000 kamikaze drones and related equipment worth 20 million shekels, or approximately $5.9 million.

The company delivered a previously unannounced 10-inch drone model with a payload capacity of up to 2.5 kilograms. The estimated cost of each drone is around 3,500 shekels, or roughly $1,000.

The expansion of FPV drone production is also a response to Hezbollah’s use of similar systems.