The UK will send 1,000 first-person view drones to Ukraine

A Ukrainian serviceman launches a reconnaissance drone to fly over the positions of Russian troops. Photo: REUTERS/Stringer

Great Britain insists on delivery of 1,000 aircraft. drones with first-person view to Ukraine as part of an international coalition in support of Kyiv.

According to the tender notice posted on the government website, industry suppliers were invited to submit bids for the supply of drones and equipment that could be equipped with armor-piercing ammunition.

The £300,000 appeal includes the purchase of up to 15 lots of 20 «first-person view racing drones».

< p>Ukraine has turned to drones to overcome Russia's advantage in troops and firepower.

< p> p>Troops have often modified commercially available products, such as the Chinese-made DJI Mavic, to deliver RPG anti-tank grenades and smaller hand grenades to targets.

Creations that were often put together for less than £1,000, they are credited with destroying pieces of Russian equipment such as tanks and helicopters worth millions.

Drones must be “capable of carrying different payloads depending on the size of their propeller,” the notice added.

Following initial testing, which is expected to be completed by mid-August, successful applicants may be offered future orders. contracts to supply «around 1,000 drones per month.»

In February, the UK and Latvia launched the Ukraine Drone Capability Coalition in hopes of increasing the supply of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the frontline.

“Together with the UK and within the framework of the Drone Coalition, we have launched an industry competition for the supply of FPV drones for Ukraine,” Andris Spruds, Minister of Defense of Latvia, wrote on X.

The scheme promised to provide Ukrainian forces with large numbers of drones to attack «enemy positions, armored vehicles and ships with explosive ordnance», using Western firms to produce them.

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Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky last year created a special group of drones in recognition of the success of UAVs on the battlefield.

In December, he said Ukraine would increase current production levels and produce one million drones this year.

Most frontline units are joined by specially trained drone operators who use FPV UAVs controlled by virtual reality headsets that allow pilots to see where they are going.