Most countries require registration for drones over 250 g, with examples including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the EU, China, and Japan, and fees typically around $5 for 1–3 years. In the United States, recreational flyers must pass the TRUST test and follow community safety rules, while commercial operators must hold an FAA…
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Countries and Companies Supplying Drones to Ukraine Types and Models of Drones Used by Ukraine (by Function) Ukraine employs a vast array of drones, both military-grade and civilian, serving different functions on and off the battlefield. Below are the major categories of drone types and notable models in each category: Ukrainian Drone Manufacturers and Domestic…
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In February 2023 Parliament exempted UAVs from import duty and VAT, with the exemption extended through 2025 and renewed to cover defense goods until at least January 1, 2026; by early 2025, 98% of drones imported entered duty-free. A late-2022 Cabinet resolution allowed drones to clear customs with simplified procedures and no required bonds, and…
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The Knyaz Vandal Novgorodsky fiber-optic FPV drone, built by the Russian volunteer group Ushkuinik led by Aleksey Chadaev, was deployed in August 2024 in Russia’s Kursk region to counter Ukrainian incursions. By late 2024 and early 2025, elite Russian fiber-optic FPV units named Rubicon and Sudny Den operated in eastern Ukraine, carrying spools up to…
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In February 2023 Ukraine abolished value-added tax (VAT) and import duties on drones and related equipment, with exemptions extended to at least January 1, 2025 under martial law. Under the “235 Preference,” international postal and express UAV shipments to Ukraine are fully exempt from customs duties and VAT. In early 2023 the Cabinet canceled the…
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The DJI Matrice 4 Series was launched in January 2025 and comprises two models, Matrice 4T (Thermal) and Matrice 4E (Enterprise), both with foldable airframes and about 1.22 kg takeoff weight. The Matrice 4T adds a radiometric thermal camera (640×512 px, 12 µm, 30 Hz) and a built-in near‑IR spotlight with a 6° field of…
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In 2024, the total global drone market was about $73 billion, with forecasts to reach roughly $163–165 billion by 2030 at around a 14% CAGR. Some analyses forecast growth from about $30 billion in 2022 to $260.5 billion by 2030, implying a 27–39% annual growth rate. By 2030 the market’s major segments are projected to…
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Iridium, a LEO network, started service in 1998 and operates 66 active cross-linked satellites, delivering near-global coverage, with the Iridium NEXT second-generation network launched in 2019. Globalstar uses 48 satellites (24 second-generation as of 2013), has no inter-satellite links and relies on ground gateways, and Apple’s Emergency SOS on iPhone 14 uses about 85% of…
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The global drone market was valued at about $73 billion in 2024 and is forecast to reach $163+ billion by 2030, with a 14%+ CAGR in the latter 2020s. Military and defense end-use accounted for about 60% of total drone market value in 2024. DJI held an estimated 70%+ share of the global drone market…
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By late 2023, nearly every Ukrainian combat brigade had integrated drones, with dedicated UAV units for surveillance, artillery spotting, and attack missions. Small off-the-shelf DJI Mavic quadcopters, priced around $1,500–$3,000, were widely used for frontline reconnaissance and artillery correction. FPV kamikaze drones cost as little as $400–$500 to assemble and have been linked to a…
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