Category
Latest news

Combat-Proven Ukrainian Drone Raybird Set for UK Production and Deployment

3 min read
Authors
Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
Author
Combat-Proven Ukrainian Drone Raybird Set for UK Production and Deployment
A Raybird-3 reconnaissance drone system at a manufacturing facility operated by Skyeton in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 14, 2023. (Source: Getty Images)

Ukrainian defense-tech company Skyeton has formed a joint venture with British firm Prevail Partners to promote and potentially produce the Raybird unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the UK Armed Forces, according to a press release reported by Janes on July 2.

The new partnership is designed to accelerate the production of Skyeton’s combat-proven UAVs and position the Raybird as a competitive solution for the UK’s growing demand for unmanned systems.

Under the agreement, Skyeton will provide its Raybird platform, which has been actively deployed and continuously upgraded based on battlefield experience.

Prevail Partners will handle localization, integration into the UK defense ecosystem, and provide domestic manufacturing capacity, a critical step for meeting British defense procurement standards and potentially bypassing export restrictions on military goods from Ukraine.

Known in Ukraine as the Raybird-3 or ACS-3, this fixed-wing UAV has been in development since 2014 and entered service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2016.

It gained national recognition in 2019 for setting a Ukrainian endurance record and has since logged over 300,000 flight hours as of February 2025.

A rack of wings for the Raybird-3 reconnaissance drone systems at a manufacturing facility operated by Skyeton, a former light aircraft producer that turned to making unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 14, 2023. (Source: Getty Images)
A rack of wings for the Raybird-3 reconnaissance drone systems at a manufacturing facility operated by Skyeton, a former light aircraft producer that turned to making unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 14, 2023. (Source: Getty Images)

With a maximum range of 2,500 km (1,550 miles) and a command-and-control radius of 220 km (136 miles), the Raybird typically performs 8–14-hour missions in combat zones. Each drone is used for an average of 40 sorties, and its modular design allows for rapid upgrades.

According to Skyeton, the platform undergoes up to 40 iterative updates per year, reflecting frontline lessons and new capabilities, such as integrated electronic intelligence (ELINT) payloads.

The UAV weighs 22 kg (48.5 lbs) and can carry a 5 kg payload. Over 80% of its components are Ukrainian-made, a strategic feature that ensures supply chain resilience and national defense autonomy.

The joint venture is seen as a major milestone in Skyeton’s bid to enter global markets and aligns closely with the UK Ministry of Defence’s evolving doctrine, which increasingly emphasizes uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) for reconnaissance, targeting, and intelligence missions.

The potential local production of Raybirds in the UK could significantly enhance the drone’s appeal in British procurement programs while opening the door for future NATO-oriented exports.

It also offers a way to sidestep some of the challenges Ukraine faces in exporting military-grade hardware during wartime.

Earlier, reports emerged that Germany was expanding its military support for Ukraine with a major investment in long-range strike capabilities, including combat drones and missiles.

See all