Inside a Drone Factory in Ukraine

Serhii, head of Vyriy production company operating fpv drone on testing field in Kyiv March 21, 2025. Anton Shtuka or NPR hide caption

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Anton Shtuka or NPR

Serhii, head of Vyriy production company operating fpv drone on testing field in Kyiv March 21, 2025.

Anton Shtuka or NPR

Throughout the more than three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, drones have been a key tool and weapon used by both sides in the conflict. Because of this, Ukraine is at the cutting edge of drone innovation, churning out some two million unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, last year. These flying drones come in all sizes and they're produced in factories large and high-tech, as well as small and shoestring. In today's episode, NPR's Eleanor Beardsley takes us inside a drone-making operation in Kyiv.