The business story of DroneUA began on April 22, 2014, with $200 earned from the first drone aerial shoot of a Kyiv client's territory. This very date marks the starting point, where simply believing in drones and their potential became the beginning of the unmanned aerial vehicle and robotics revolution in Ukraine.
Today, DroneUA represents a decade-long journey and the creation of markets for commercial drone use across all industries in Ukraine. It leads the world market in speed and volume of agricultural drones integration. It's about shaping the portable energy market amidst wartime conditions, serving millions of users. DroneUA boasts over 1000 partners across Ukraine and globally, offers 500+ product categories, and has had its own representation in the US market since 2023. It's garnered numerous awards, accolades, Forbes rankings, and thousands of media mentions. The team has tripled in size over the last 2 years.
Economic and geopolitical challenges facing Ukraine have never been limiting factors for DroneUA; rather, they've spurred the company to find new effective solutions, develop new products, and enter new markets.
Today, DroneUA is an international conglomerate serving as a systemic integrator of unmanned technologies, robotics, energy independence systems, and digital data processing solutions, creating ecosystems in emerging development areas. DroneUA possesses technical expertise and is a market-shaping player in agriculture and energy security formation.
DroneUA is an importer and distributor of leading drone manufacturers worldwide, developing technologies of brands like XAG, EcoFlow, Pix4D, Chasing, AgroCares, and more in the markets of Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Collaboration with international partners aims at discovering new opportunities, creating new markets, and advancing innovation.
Within its structure, DroneUA operates its own engineering and production units, along with an open data processing center. Utilizing unmanned and software solutions, the company provides services in geodesy and topography, energy, infrastructure, security, real estate, and the extractive industry.
Efficient implementation of conscious resource consumption is a crucial component of the group's activities. DroneUA strives for energy independence and the ability to reduce carbon emissions by optimizing energy storage and generation systems. By forming ecosystem solutions using robotics in Ukrainian agriculture, the company offers tools for cost optimization and reducing fossil fuel usage, water consumption, agrochemicals, and carbon footprint.
Marketwide Impact
- In 2021, Ukraine became the world leader in the rapid adoption of sprayer drone in agriculture, and in 2022, the Ukrainian sprayer drone market maintained its leadership position, ranking first in Europe.
- In 2022, sprayer dronetreated 1.2 million hectares, a 20% increase compared to 2021; in 2023, the area of crops treated by agricultural drones increased to 3.1 million hectares.
- In 2022, demand for EcoFlow solutions for personal energy security increased by over 10 times, capturing a larger share of the market.
- By 2024, the EcoFlow brand represents 62% of the portable energy-independent solutions market, with 130+ MW*hours of distributed energy storage capacity across the country and over 100,000 Ukrainian energy-independent households.
DroneUA offers around 500 product categories, collaborating with 15 foreign vendors and 30 partner countries. In Ukraine, the DroneUA partner network includes over 1100+ partners covering virtually the entire territory of the country:
- 1,500+ locations for electronics distribution;
- 100+ DIY network locations;
- 35+ locations for agricultural solutions distribution.
Enhancing Food Security in Agriculture
DroneUA, in collaboration with partners, operates in accordance with the concept of sustainable agricultural development. DroneUA works to shape a new ecosystem of agricultural technologies in Ukraine, where robotics will be accessible to every Ukrainian farmer, regardless of the size of their land bank or distance from the regional center.
The use of agricultural drones ensures resource optimization, enhances a careful approach to natural resource management, fosters innovative regional development, and creates employment opportunities.
Based on the results of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 agricultural seasons, the total area of crops treated by agricultural drones in Ukraine amounts to 3.1 million hectares (1 million, 1.2 million, and 0.9 million hectares respectively).
In summary, this has led to the following results:
- Total area of treated crops: 3.1 million hectares;
- Reduction in fuel consumption: 17.05 million liters;
- Reduction in carbon emissions: 43.4 thousand tons;
- Additional harvested yield: 486.7 thousand tons;
- Water savings: up to 620 thousand tons;
- Number of jobs created: up to 1,000.
The DroneUA team regularly conducts its own specialized agricultural conferences, lectures, and seminars at educational institutions. One of the important directions of activity is close cooperation with educational institutions.
In 2022, the DroneUA team, together with the international manufacturer of agricultural robotics brand XAG, launched a new educational-practical project based on the leading agricultural university of NULES of Ukraine - the "XAG Innovation Academy". The project is aimed at enhanced training of precision agriculture specialists.
In 2023, DroneUA delivered sprayer drone to the Vocational Education Centers of the State Employment Service (currently 9 sets of equipment have been delivered) and conducted comprehensive training for teachers thanks to grant funds provided by international organizations.
Throughout the 2022 season, DroneUA, in collaboration with USAID Agricultural and Rural Development (AGRO), worked on ensuring food security in Ukraine and worldwide, as well as restoring economic activity of farmers and building a strong and sustainable market system.
In particular, as part of the cooperation, a Project to popularize the application of plant protection products and fertilizers using unmanned and robotic technologies among SMEs operating in the sectors of cultivation and processing of vegetables, fruits, berries, and some types of grains and oilseeds was implemented.
The project was implemented in 15 regions of Ukraine. Farmers from the Rivne, Volyn, Kyiv, Ternopil, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Zakarpattia, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Lviv, Sumy, Khmelnytskyi, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions participated in the program.
As a result, from November 2021 to December 2022, over 90 farmers received drone-based services for applying plant protection products. In total, over 100 applications of pesticides and fertilizers were made on various crops, including corn, wheat, sunflower, buckwheat, currants, watermelon, melon, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, onions, eggplant, tomato, pepper, gooseberry, strawberry, and apple.
In 2023, DroneUA became part of a global project to promote unmanned technologies initiated and supported by the FAO. Within this framework, Ukraine's experience in drone use in agriculture was presented as a benchmark of achievement. Ukraine's expertise was showcased at three international conferences for farmers in Georgia, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. Articles, expert videos, and seminars all contribute to the credit of Ukrainian farmers who remain open to innovations even in challenging times.
Enhancing Energy Security and Independence of Ukrainians
DroneUA actively works on strengthening the energy independence of Ukrainians.
Today, the EcoFlow brand accounts for approximately 62% of the market share of portable energy-independent solutions, with over 130 MW⋅h of distributed energy capacities and over 100,000 energy-independent Ukrainian households. Currently, Ukraine demonstrates the fastest growth rates and development of energy autonomy in both the private sector and businesses. The demand for portable power as well as stationary systems working on self-generated solar power is increasing. And already next year, the domestic market will demonstrate new achievements.
The ability to generate one's own energy is not only economically advantageous but also environmentally friendly. Considering Europe's decision to reduce CO2 emissions to 0% by 2050, the demand for ecological technologies will increase. Therefore, prices will also rise, and the implementation of energy independence technologies is needed now.
Speaking of Ukraine's reconstruction and its place in the European Union, the ecosystem of energy-independent solutions developed by DroneUA with over 800 partners and integrators lays a strong foundation for energy leadership in the EU.
Another remarkable achievement in this direction is the opening of the world's first Authorized EcoFlow offline store in Kyiv. Not in Europe, not in China or the USA, but in Ukraine. The opening of the store and the developed concept of space and brand representation set an example for the unified brand style of EcoFlow offline stores worldwide.
Extractive Industry
In 2018, DroneUA began collaborating with the largest Swiss company in Ukraine, Ferrexpo. Within the project, the first systematic implementation of unmanned technologies at a mining enterprise in Ukraine was carried out. Drones provided the most controlled, economically viable, and safe execution of planned blasting operations in quarries. Experts from Ferrexpo, together with DroneUA, tested new methodologies for conducting aerial photography in quarries using drones.
In 2021, the DroneUA team conducted extensive testing of a camera for the extractive industry sector. The camera, along with the drone, was tested at one of the facilities of Yunigran, a leading national mining company specializing in the production and sale of granite products, construction materials, and explosives.
As part of the testing, DroneUA pilots scanned a 133-hectare area of the Malynskyi stone-crushing plant, reproducing a photographic plan of the terrain on an accurate geodetic basis.
The use of equipment allowed monitoring hard-to-reach areas at the industrial site, counting the amount of finished products in warehouses, and determining the volumes of mined ore extraction. The condition of workplaces and transport was also investigated, and cargoes transported by rail were inspected. At the end of the testing, the camera captured the process of mass explosion. As a result, DroneUA experts conducted an analysis of the visual data obtained: dense point clouds, surface models, height maps, and orthophotoplans were constructed.
Unmanned Technologies
In 2018, DroneUA became the first in Ukraine to use drones on solar panels.
In the world, such technologies are used by companies like Google and Facebook. In Ukraine, DroneUA was the first to adopt this technology.
Solar-powered aircraft are a form of atmospheric satellites using renewable energy sources. In the future, drones will be able to stay in the air indefinitely due to their design, allowing them to perform long-duration flights precisely because the drone's functionality and energy-efficient flight are combined with the ability to recharge battery resources directly in the air.
In 2021, DroneUA conducted the first systematic work in Ukraine to inspect wind farm facilities.
The total capacity of renewable energy stations inspected exceeded 100 MW. A survey was conducted using drones for further technical analysis with the help of innovative software products.
DroneUA was the first in Ukraine to conduct such surveys. The company's pilot team inspected over 20 stations.
Social Responsibility. Country Reconstruction.
In mid-2022, the DroneUA group of companies established the "DroneUA Charitable Fund," which is an important direction of corporate social responsibility and the overall ideology of DroneUA.
From the first day of the struggle for the independence of the Ukrainian people and territorial integrity, the foundation's team has been working 24/7. Together with foreign partners, a series of volunteer initiatives have been implemented. Priority areas include children's, medical, and educational institutions, as well as social housing.
The national mission of the "DroneUA Charitable Fund" is to enhance the energy security of Ukrainians: providing backup power to social facilities and fostering energy independence in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Areas of activity:
- Backup power for social institutions:orphanages, schools, kindergartens, specialized social and rehabilitation centers, medical facilities, geriatric boarding houses.
- Energy reconstruction of Ukraine:initiating and supporting projects for the reconstruction and construction of housing stock using energy autonomy and security approaches.
- Equipping temporary housing with energy independence systems:modular houses, residential, and social facilities for communities that have lost their homes.
- Formation of energy awareness in society:public awareness campaigns on energy security and strengthening specialized international partnerships.
In May 2023, the "DroneUA Charitable Fund" signed a memorandum and became a partner in the large-scale social project of the architectural bureau of Slava Balbek - RE:Ukraine Housing, to provide temporary housing for internally displaced Ukrainians with uninterrupted power supply energy equipment.
Between 2022 and 2024, the actual work of the DroneUA Charitable Fund provided assistance as follows:
- Donated 150+ portable charging stations.
- Total value of direct technical assistance exceeded 3.5+ million UAH.
- Assisted 30+ children's homes and social institutions.
- Provided over 100+ kW of total capacity of backup power sources.
Following the tragedy at the Kakhovska HPP, the DroneUA Foundation provided assistance in the form of portable charging stations (10+ units) to the State Emergency Service units involved in rescue operations and aftermath cleanup.
Globalization. Entry into the American Market.
In June 2022, the DroneUA team introduced the FarmFleet online platform, a partner AgTech startup, to the Ukrainian market. Initially aimed at systematizing the rapidly growing market of drone sprayer services in agriculture, FarmFleet also aimed to facilitate farmers' access to innovative resource-saving technologies, which were critically important during challenging seasons. The use of drones enables fuel cost reduction by up to 80% on average.
After the end of the 2022 season, the founders conducted the first mission in the US market, after which a decision was made to scale beyond Ukraine. The expansion into the American market was a synergy of years of experience and expertise in integrating drone sprayers and robotics into Ukrainian agriculture. Today, it effectively represents Ukraine's innovative agribusiness on the US market. In June 2023, the startup attracted its first investment of $550,000 USD, with an estimated value of $3.7 million USD, initiating a global expansion into the American market.
Meanwhile, the team continued to operate FarmFleet in the Ukrainian market, strengthening the online platform with its own service team consisting of 8 brigades.
Throughout the year, an office was opened, several legal entities were established, and the team's systematic work was established. The main mission is to promote business development and partnership relations between Ukraine and the USA, opening up new opportunities and prospects for both sides.
In late October 2023, FarmFleet joined the national startup delegation and had the honor of representing Ukraine at the world's largest consumer electronics, technology, and innovation exhibition - CES 2024 (Consumer Electronics Show 2024) in Las Vegas, USA. The trade mission is supported by the Ministry of Digital Transformation, together with the Ukrainian Startup Fund and the Ukrainian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (UVCA), under the USAID Competitive Economy of Ukraine Program.
A successful entry into the American market has important tasks: scaling the experience gained in Ukraine and implementing it in areas that have become extremely important and critical - energy independence and food security.
Cooperation between Ukraine and the USA contributes to attracting financing and stimulates the development of Ukrainian businesses by providing access to global financial markets.
Today, Ukraine is the heart of innovative technologies, where the boldest ideas are born, and engineering professionals are forged in fire. DroneUA does everything to help these directions grow both in Ukraine and beyond its borders, collaborating with companies that are part of our ecosystem. The company continues to scale the experience gained in Ukraine, strengthen the directions of energy independence and food security, promote Ukrainian equipment and innovations in international markets, create new ecosystems, and attract funding for the development of Ukrainian business.
The DroneUA group of companies thanks all clients, partners, friends, and colleagues for these 10 years of fruitful cooperation. At the same time, the company is building plans and confidently moving forward with you - towards an innovative future and the Victory of Ukraine!
