A Ukrainian startup from Dnipro, best known for developing the “Chaklun” drone, has unveiled its latest project, a long-range UAS designed for reconnaissance and strike missions.
The new drone was presented to journalists from Deutsche Welle, marking a milestone in the company’s efforts to contribute to Ukraine’s growing domestic drone industry. Development of the system began in 2022, with the team focused on building a platform capable of reaching deep targets or conducting extended surveillance.
Originally formed by a small group, the company has expanded to 170 employees, which it attributes in part to the need to replace skilled personnel who were mobilized.
“Many highly qualified specialists were mobilized, so we’ve had to retrain others,” a company spokesperson said.
The newly unveiled drone features a DLE 111 two-cylinder gasoline engine, a component commonly used in large-scale radio-controlled aircraft. Producing approximately 11 horsepower at 7,500 RPM, the engine enables the drone to carry significant payloads over long distances, combining range with sufficient speed for military applications.
Because Ukraine continues to face domestic production constraints for some drone components, many parts in the long-range platform are sourced from abroad. Still, the new system represents an effort to reduce dependency on established models like the Deep Strike and introduce competition that could enhance overall capability and reliability.
The announcement comes at a time when Ukraine’s special services are increasingly deploying drones such as “Liutyi” and “Bober” for deep-strike missions into Russian territory.
This development also follows the July 16 debut of another Ukrainian innovation: the FLYCAT ground-target engagement system, presented by OCTAVA Defence at LANDEURO 2025 in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Taken together, these efforts reflect Ukraine’s push to expand its defense technology base through local innovation, even as the war with Russia continues to drive demand for scalable unmanned systems.
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Post Image Credit: Deutsche Welle
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