Ukraine’s Defense Ministry announces homegrown DJI Mavic replacement with longer range

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s newly appointed Defense Minister, has announced that Ukrainian troops will begin fielding a domestically produced replacement for the Chinese-made DJI Mavic drone. The homegrown alternative promises the same camera quality but with extended flight range, marking a significant step in reducing Kyiv’s dependency on Beijing-manufactured reconnaissance drones.

The Development: Ukraine’s Defense Ministry confirmed troops will receive a domestically manufactured Mavic replacement with improved range specifications.

The “So What?”: This shift directly addresses Ukraine’s vulnerability to Chinese supply chain disruptions and Beijing’s increasingly close relationship with Moscow.

The Source: The Guardian reported the announcement on January 20, 2026.

Fedorov confirms Ukrainian Mavic analogue matches DJI camera quality

Ukraine’s homegrown Mavic replacement will feature identical camera capabilities to the DJI Mavic series while offering extended flight range, according to Defense Minister Fedorov. The Ukrainian version addresses the critical reconnaissance requirements that have made Mavic drones indispensable on the frontlines, where both Ukrainian and Russian forces rely heavily on the retail-grade quadcopters for aerial surveillance and artillery coordination.

“We will have our own Mavic analogue: the same camera, but with a longer flight range,” Fedorov stated. He did not disclose the manufacturer of the Ukrainian version.

The announcement comes as Fedorov assumes his new role as Defense Minister following his nomination by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on January 2, 2026. Fedorov, who previously served as Minister of Digital Transformation, built Ukraine’s Army of Drones initiative and the Brave1 defense-tech marketplace that revolutionized how Ukrainian forces procure and deploy unmanned systems.

China’s supply restrictions forced Ukraine’s hand

Ukraine’s pivot to domestic Mavic production stems directly from Beijing’s tightening grip on drone exports to Kyiv. Reliance on China for drones and components has been a major concern for Ukraine given Beijing’s close relationship with Moscow, with President Zelenskyy revealing in May 2025 that China had halted drone sales to Ukraine and Europe while continuing to supply Russia.

The DJI Mavic series, particularly the Mavic 3 Pro and Mavic 4 Pro, has become what one retired Russian general called “a real icon of contemporary warfare.” Ukrainian forces have purchased thousands of these drones since the 2022 invasion, with volunteer groups continuously running fundraising campaigns to source Mavics for frontline units.

By 2023, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal noted Ukraine was procuring up to 60% of the world’s Mavic production. The drones support reconnaissance, artillery adjustments, and even medical evacuations, launching in under a minute to relay target coordinates.

Ukrainian manufacturers have been preparing for this moment

This official deployment announcement follows months of domestic development. In November 2024, Ukrainian manufacturers unveiled their first domestically produced reconnaissance drones designed to replace the DJI Mavic 3 series, with eight manufacturers working to create drones matching or exceeding Mavic capabilities.

The “Shmavic,” a locally developed Mavic analogue, emerged as part of Ukraine’s broader push for supply chain independence. The Unmanned Systems Forces outlined specific requirements for replacements: 40-minute flight times, electronic warfare resistance, and modular designs. Alternative Ukrainian-made drones like the Mamba and Shark have also gained traction among frontline units.

Ukraine now produces approximately 200,000 drones monthly from over 500 manufacturers, a transformation Fedorov personally engineered during his tenure at the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

DroneXL’s Take

This announcement validates what we’ve been tracking for over a year: Ukraine’s systematic decoupling from Chinese drone supply chains. When we covered the July 2025 supply crisis, Ukrainian officials predicted independence from China within “one or two more quarters.” Fedorov’s announcement suggests they’ve hit that target.

The fact that Fedorov is making this announcement in his new capacity as Defense Minister, rather than Digital Transformation Minister, signals that domestic drone production has officially moved from a tech initiative to a core defense priority. His refusal to name the manufacturer is telling. It could indicate operational security concerns, or that multiple Ukrainian companies are now producing viable Mavic alternatives and the ministry hasn’t selected a primary supplier.

Expect this transition to accelerate. With Fedorov now controlling both the demand side (military procurement) and having built the supply side (Brave1 marketplace, 500+ manufacturers), Ukraine has the infrastructure to rapidly scale domestic reconnaissance drone production. The question isn’t whether Ukraine can replace DJI Mavics. It’s whether the Ukrainian alternatives will eventually compete in the global market once this conflict ends.

Editorial Note: This article was researched and drafted with the assistance of AI to ensure technical accuracy and archive retrieval. All insights, industry analysis, and perspectives were provided exclusively by Haye Kesteloo and our other DroneXL authors, editors, and Youtube partners to ensure the “Human-First” perspective our readers expect.