US Drone Makers Leverage ‘Battle-Tested in Ukraine’ Claims Despite Limited Combat Success

American drone makers, such as Skydio and Anduril, are increasingly using Ukraine’s battlefield as a marketing tool to secure lucrative Department of Defense contracts, raising questions about the ethics and effectiveness of this promotional strategy. In a well-researched Kyiv Independent article, Kollen Post explains how this marketing approach comes amid growing scrutiny of Western military contractors’ actual contributions to Ukraine’s drone capabilities.

The Marketing Appeal of Combat Testing

“You cannot field an American drone system today that doesn’t have the moniker of ‘battle-tested in Ukraine’ on it. You can’t. Which is why everybody’s trying to do it,” explains James Acuna, a former CIA operations officer with 20 years of experience.

This drive for Ukrainian validation has led to the emergence of what Acuna describes as “testing tourism” – organized packages allowing companies to claim their drones were tested in Ukraine.

The Reality Gap

Despite aggressive marketing campaigns by U.S. manufacturers, the battlefield reality tells a different story. According to Ukraine’s Digital Transformation Minister Mikhaylo Fedorov, 96% of the million drones reaching the frontlines in 2024 are Ukrainian-made, with most of the remainder being Chinese.

Several major U.S. manufacturers, including Skydio, Anduril, and Aerovironment, have actively promoted their involvement in Ukraine. However, their actual impact appears limited. When speaking to the Wall Street Journal, some companies have acknowledged challenges with their platforms on the front lines, particularly in facing robust Russian electronic warfare capabilities.

The Cost Factor

American drone manufacturers face a significant hurdle in the Ukrainian market: price. General Atomics attempted to sell two Reaper drones to Ukraine for a symbolic one dollar, but the deal fell through due to prohibitive operational costs – $10 million for transportation and $8 million annually for maintenance.

Skydio, America’s largest drone manufacturer, exemplifies the complex dynamics at play in Ukraine’s drone market. CEO Adam Bry’s congressional testimony in June 2024 reportedly mentioned Ukraine 65 times, emphasizing his recent visit and claiming significant contributions to defense capabilities.

However, this narrative contrasts sharply with reality. Despite promoting “new capabilities” and “resilient communications features” developed from Ukrainian feedback, Bry admitted to the Wall Street Journal that Skydio’s drones proved “not a very successful platform on the front lines.“

This disconnect between marketing and battlefield effectiveness is further highlighted by Bryan Sardoch’s assessment:

“Even with Skydio, like the X10, if you give it to me, it’d be great, we’re definitely gonna do good things with it, but at the cost, I’d rather spend that money on several thousand of these smaller, cheaper, but still somewhat effective systems.”

Former CIA officer James Acuna specifically identified Skydio as one of the “worst offenders of PR over substance” in Ukraine, alongside Anduril, raising questions about the gap between promotional claims and actual battlefield utility.

Investment and Lobbying Surge

The marketing strategy appears to be paying off – at least in terms of company valuations and government contracts. Anduril’s valuation jumped from $4.6 billion in June 2021 to $14 billion in August 2024. Similarly, other manufacturers have seen significant increases in both valuations and federal lobbying expenditures.

“My problem with some of these drone companies is they’ve been preaching about how much they’ve been helping Ukraine for years or whatever, and what they did is they sold the U.S. government a bunch of stuff, made a bunch of money, and didn’t support the end users,” explains Bryan Sardoch from U.S-Ukrainian drone developer Bavovna.AI.

DroneXL’s Take

This situation reflects a critical moment in drone technology evolution. While marketing claims of battlefield testing can be valuable, the emphasis should remain on actual performance and user support. The success of domestic Ukrainian drone production demonstrates how rapid innovation can occur when focused on practical battlefield needs rather than marketing narratives. The industry could benefit from more transparent evaluation of drone performance in actual combat conditions, particularly regarding electronic warfare resistance.

The growing gap between marketing claims and battlefield reality raises important questions about military procurement and the role of private industry in modern warfare. As the drone industry continues to evolve, finding the right balance between promotion and performance will become increasingly crucial.

What are your thoughts on the use of conflict zones as proving grounds for military technology? Share your perspective in the comments below.

Photo courtesy of Skydio.