DroneUA is reshaping the narrative at the 4th UK–Ukraine Defence Tech Forum: drones and robotics must evolve through commercial markets

DroneUA aims to shape a long-term development model for the unmanned systems and robotics industry, centered on prioritizing commercial applications of these technologies. It is the civilian segments — such as agriculture, logistics, infrastructure operations, energy, and first responders — that create the foundation for a stable market in which drones and other robotic systems function as engineering tools delivering measurable economic impact and enabling the scaling of production processes. The unmanned solutions industry will remain attractive for investment only with the systematic growth of these sectors: the multidirectionality of the industry supports production chains, forms a predictable environment, and creates a foundation for innovation that is resilient to external risks. This approach is becoming a key element of the Ukrainian technological ecosystem, where drones are viewed as applied instruments that enhance business processes and ensure long-term industry competitiveness.

Ukraine is entering a new phase of technological diplomacy — a stage in which engineering solutions, production scale, and applied robotics become the foundation of international partnerships. DroneUA’s participation in the 4th UK–Ukraine Defence Tech Forum in London demonstrates that Ukraine has already moved from the role of a recipient of international support to that of a full-fledged technological player capable of shaping market rules, building transnational cooperation, and influencing the development of related industries.

During the session “Partnership in Defence Tech,” Valerii Iakovenko, co-founder and managing partner of DroneUA, Futurology, presented the Ukrainian perspective in the field of security technologies — from attracting investment into manufacturing to assessing the progress of the Test in Ukraine program and the ability of Ukrainian developers to scale R&D and enter international markets.

The expert discussion was moderated by Denys Demko, First Secretary for Economic Affairs at the Embassy of Ukraine in the United Kingdom. Among the speakers:

• Valerii Iakovenko, Founder & CEO, DroneUA;

• William Green, Task Force Kindred, Ministry of Defence;

• Serhii Kupriienko, CEO & Founder, Swarmer;

• Oleksandr Dytovt, Chief Operating Officer, Athlon Avia;

• Marcello Hohmann-Allegri, Head of Marketing & Business Development, CYBER RANGES;

• Oleksandr Yakovenko, CEO, TAF Industries;

• Stanislav Gryshyn, Co-Founder, General Cherry.

The discussion provided a broad context for assessing Ukraine’s engineering capability and the real scale of the industry’s development. Ukraine is no longer dependent on external production cycles — the country’s drone ecosystem has built a full technological stack of solutions encompassing key engineering competencies and extensive manufacturing chains. Strong internal competition has created a dynamic environment in which dozens of companies compete daily in speed, precision, and the ability to implement new approaches. This development model has become the foundation not only for security-oriented solutions but also for large-scale commercial deployment of robotic systems across agriculture, infrastructure, logistics, energy, and service sectors.

Ukraine has historically been one of the world’s largest users of commercial drone technologies, which has provided deep practical experience now transforming into complex engineering products. In this context, one of the key points voiced by Valerii Iakovenko at the forum was:

“Ukraine is not a group of startups seeking occasional investment opportunities. It is an established ecosystem that can fairly be valued in trillions of dollars and in decades of saved technological development.”

One of the central aspects of the discussion was the inequality of access to global capital. Ukrainian companies with proven results, real practical applications, and strong engineering capabilities are often valued at just a few million dollars, while comparable entities in the United Kingdom or the United States — even without practical cases — may be valued in the billions. This is not a question of potential, but of market infrastructure and valuation principles. That is why technological diplomacy is a strategic direction of cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom — it aligns approaches, promotes fair assessment of technologies, and integrates Ukrainian solutions into global production chains.

“The Ukrainian drone ecosystem is no longer merely a recipient of support. We are ready to invest in other economies and open production facilities.” — emphasized Valerii Iakovenko during his speech.

The forum in London became a platform where it was clearly established that Ukrainian robotics is not a temporary phenomenon driven by current challenges, but a sustainable sector with strong engineering capacity, export potential, and international influence. Partnerships with the United Kingdom help create a transparent, competitive environment in which commercial and security technologies develop in parallel, reinforcing one another.

The Ukrainian model represents dozens of companies, open procurement, high competition, and rapid decision-making — elements that are becoming benchmarks for partners and shaping a new logic of cooperation in technology and security.

DroneUA extends its gratitude to the British partners, forum organizers, and discussion participants for the opportunity to continue joint work on shaping a new architecture of security and technological solutions. Such cooperation strengthens resilience, opens new opportunities for innovation, and shapes a future built together.