Ukraine became the global drone hub, Expert explains

Ossian Vogel, founder of NORDYN Group, aviation and unmanned systems expert, spoke about the Ukrainian drone market. He called Ukraine the key market for drones, where innovations are born despite the lack of funding and standardization.

The founder of NORDYN Group, Ossian Vogel, wrote about this in an exclusive column for Novyny.LIVE.

Ossian Vogel on the drone market in Ukraine

In his column for Novyny.LIVE, Ossian Vogel, an aviation and unmanned systems expert and founder of NORDYN Group, called Ukraine the "world's drone market." According to Vogel, the future of the industry is being shaped there through constant experimentation, quick decision-making, and working with limited resources.

"I wouldn't even compare the Ukrainian drone market to any other. Today, Ukraine is the drone market — in terms of development, learning, and even mistakes," Vogel says.

Ukraine as a testing ground for the future

Vogel emphasizes that Ukrainian UAV development is taking place despite minimal funding, chaotic supply chains, and a lack of standardization.

However, these challenges also present advantages, as they make the system extremely flexible and open to new solutions.

According to the expert, the key step is to establish direct communication between the front lines and manufacturers. This will enable the rapid adaptation of technologies for combat conditions and transition us from chaotic experimentation to systematic production.

Standardization and the "drone kitchen"

One of the main topics Vogel emphasizes is the standardization of platforms and production processes.

He compares the future of drones to the McDonald's model, where the same "ingredients" can be used in different ways.

"We're not standardizing a specific drone, we're standardizing materials, design, and production process. It's a bit like McDonald's. Imagine you get a tomato. You can slice it up for a burger, put it in a salad, or make ketchup out of it. It's still the same tomato, but the result depends on how you use it," the expert explains.

Vogel calls this approach a "drone kitchen." Standardized components, such as carbon fiber, foam, and electronics, are delivered to production centers. Depending on the needs of the front line, workers decide what to assemble from these components: a reconnaissance copter, an attack copter, or an interceptor.

The end of the old defense system

In his column, Vogel emphasizes: "Ukraine is demonstrating the effectiveness of inexpensive solutions that often outperform expensive systems of the past.

"An FPV drone for 500 euros can be twenty times more effective than a Javelin worth over 100 thousand dollars. This marks the end of the traditional defense industry," he writes in his Novyny.LIVE column.

At the same time, he draws attention to difficulties with investments. Western investors are reluctant to fund military startups because they don't understand the market for large, lightweight, inexpensive drones.

Brave1 is a catalyst for a new model

Vogel praised the role of Ukraine's Brave1 platform, which has become the center of the industry's development.

He calls it a "gathering point for ideas" that has brought together the military, engineers, and investors, and created a system of grants and rapid procurement.

Although Brave1 has its drawbacks, the expert believes that without it, there would be no "wave of innovation" in the industry.

AI — no illusions

Vogel also draws attention to the excessive expectations placed on artificial intelligence in the field of drones.

"AI does not decide who to hit. It merely enables one operator to control multiple drones simultaneously. However, it can easily be hacked because it is a system trained on data, not real intelligence," he notes.

According to the expert, rather than pursuing "autonomous swarms" of drones, we should focus on professionalizing the systems that already exist: cheap, reliable, and quickly produced systems with local supply control.

What the West should learn from Ukraine's experience — Vogel's five tips

Vogel noted that there are several lessons that the West should consider:

• Standardization — one platform with different workloads is more efficient than hundreds of similar models;
• Decentralized production — local "drone kitchens" are faster and more flexible than large factories;
• Local supply chains — European component networks reduce dependence on China;
• Risks for investors — the war creates uncertainty, and Western funds still do not understand what a modern drone is;
• Hacking the old defense system — cheap FPVs outperform expensive systems of the past.

Read more:

SBU strikes Russian oil refinery deep inside Russia — details

Armed Forces of Ukraine to help EU build "drone wall"