Ukraine has signed drone contracts worth 260 million hryvnas that are part of Army of Drone initiative. The first 78 Matrice ‘multicopters’ featuring AI technology and HQ resolution imaging will soon go to the frontlines to help  Ukrainian military reconnaissance and target acquisition.

The new contracts will also bring Ukrainian defenders 20 Fly Eye spy drones. The news came from Ukraine’s digital transformation minister Mykaylo Fedorov.

‘We have bought those thanks to the very big contribution from space technologies entrepreneur Maksym Polyakov who understands the importance of technological advantage on the front-line,’ wrote the minister.

Among other things, the government has ordered two ground control systems for 20 Warmate kamikaze drones. The drones’ purchase got off the ground thanks to Monobank initiative. Fedorov said that initiative donors can be offered a chance to leave a ‘message’ attached to such kamikaze drones.

Announced on July1, the Army of Drones initiative is a joint effort of the general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces and digital transformation ministry aiming to give Ukraine the edge by wider use of military drones and training of 150 new drone operators.