"Shmavik" instead of DJI Mavic. Ukrainian manufacturer wants to replace the popular Chinese drone on the battlefield

Photo: Forbes

Ukraine is preparing to launch its own version of the Chinese DJI Mavic 3 quadcopter, which is actively used by the Ukrainian military, into mass production. Forbes reports that the domestic drone, called Shmavik, is designed for modern warfare and is no more expensive than its popular Chinese counterpart.

Here's What We Know

• The price of the Shmavik kit is about $3500, which is similar to the popular Chinese DJI Mavic.
• Unlike the Chinese quadcopter, the Ukrainian counterpart is more resistant to enemy electronic warfare due to the ability to change radio frequencies to control the drone.
• The package includes a case with a drone, a remote control with a 10-inch screen, five batteries, four spare propellers, a charging station, cables and repair tools.
• The development of the drone took a Ukrainian company (its name is not disclosed for security reasons) more than a year and cost more than $500,000.
• The design of the Shmavik is resistant to damage and can be repaired and maintained in the field.
• The standard firing system (for Maviks, it must be installed independently) allows the use of two 500-gram ammunition rounds
• "The Shmavik can stay in the air for up to 35 minutes with a full load and can be used within a radius of 15 km from the launch site.
• The manufacturer's projected capacity allows for the production of up to 5,000 Shmaviks per month.

Production process

The first production run of 500 units per month is expected to start on 1 June, with production capacity to produce up to 5,000 quadcopters. Part of the production is located in Poland, where components for the drones will be manufactured: engines, control systems and, in the future, cameras of our own design. The Ukrainian-made quadcopter should meet the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for 50,000-60,000 quadcopters per year. According to the director of the manufacturing company,"The key was to create not a 'wedding' drone, not a copter for games, but a military drone," alluding to the famous statement by former Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, who argued that there was no request from the Armed Forces for this class of drone.

Comparison of Shmavik with DJI Mavic 3

Source: Forbes