Ukraine's F-Drones to build FPV drones in Ohio, the first Kyiv-cleared export to the US military
A Ukrainian FPV-drone maker is the first Kyiv has cleared to export uncrewed weapons to the US military, and it is building them in Ohio.
A Ukrainian FPV-drone maker is the first Kyiv has cleared to export uncrewed weapons to the US military, and it is building them in Ohio.
Ukrainian Defense Drones, the US arm of Ukraine's F-Drones, will open its first US assembly and manufacturing center in Holland, Ohio, a project set to create at least 300 jobs, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel and JobsOhio announced on June 29. The Lucas County plant will build first-person-view drones for US and allied demand.
F-Drones is the first Ukrainian producer that Kyiv has authorized to export its uncrewed weapons to the US military, FlightGlobal reported. The Pentagon selected the company in May to supply systems, and the deciding factor was what its drones leave out: Chinese parts. The lack of Chinese components, disqualifying for US military procurement, is what cleared F-Drones to sell, FlightGlobal said. DJI alone holds about 80 percent of the US commercial quadcopter market, and those drones cannot be bought for military use.
That bar is the wedge. The Pentagon's "no Chinese components" rule forces Ukraine's combat-shaped makers to stand up US entities and clean their supply chains to compete. F-Drones cleared it. Founded in 2023, the company has become a key supplier to Ukrainian forces, FlightGlobal said, and its F10 strike drone and F7 interceptor were tuned against Russian armor and Shahed waves at the front before any US contract existed.
The order is a $1 billion Drone Dominance prototype deal for 2,000 FPV systems, where F-Drones' F10 ranked sixth in the program's first Gauntlet phase, JobsOhio said. UDD plans an $18.4 million investment in the Holland site, Rep. Marcy Kaptur said, with the 300 full-time-equivalent jobs due by the end of 2029.
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Subscribe Free →"The next step is to share the technology to produce these drones on American soil," F-Drones chief executive Stas Khutor said. The site lands in the same state where Anduril plans to build its FQ-44 autonomous fighter. What to watch is volume: a sixth-place prototype run of 2,000 drones is a foothold, not a production line, and whether the Holland plant scales depends on the next Drone Dominance phases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is opening the Ohio drone factory?
Ukrainian Defense Drones (UDD) Tech Corporation, the US company representing Ukraine's F-Drones, will open its first US assembly and manufacturing center in Holland, Lucas County, Ohio, per a June 29 announcement by Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel and JobsOhio.
Why is this a first?
FlightGlobal reported that F-Drones is the first Ukrainian military-drone producer that Kyiv has authorized to export its uncrewed weapons to the US military, and the first to set up a production line on US soil.
What does the "no Chinese components" rule have to do with it?
Drones with Chinese parts are disqualified from US military procurement. FlightGlobal said the absence of Chinese components in F-Drones' systems was a key factor in the Pentagon selecting the company, in a market where DJI holds roughly 80 percent of US commercial quadcopter sales.
How many jobs and how big is the investment?
The project is expected to create at least 300 full-time-equivalent jobs, per JobsOhio and Gov. DeWine. Rep. Marcy Kaptur put the investment at $18.4 million, with the jobs due by the end of 2029.
What drones does F-Drones make?
FlightGlobal reported that F-Drones, founded in 2023, builds small FPV quadcopters, with two marquee products: the F10 strike drone for hitting armor and personnel, and the F7 interceptor for shooting down incoming drones such as Shahed-type attack munitions.
What contract is driving the move?
JobsOhio said UDD secured a US government prototype contract for 2,000 FPV drones under the Pentagon's $1 billion Drone Dominance Program, after ranking sixth overall in the program's first Gauntlet phase with the F10 platform.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.