UWC and Canada’s Robotics Centre supply drones for Ukraine’s border guards

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), within the Unite with Ukraine initiative, and Canada’s Robotics Centre, Inc. today announce their donation of two Canadian-made Teledyne FLIR SkyRanger R70 drone systems to the State Border Guards of Ukraine.  Each of these SkyRangers includes the latest StormCaster optical payloads and the Echo signals payload from the Robotics Centre.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has demonstrated that drones are a vital element of modern military operations; it has also shown that commercial drones cannot survive on the battlefield if the enemy has fielded robust electronic warfare and air defence systems.

This project is the result of the efforts of the Ukrainian World Congress and its president Paul Grod, Ministry of Economic Development & Trade of Ukraine and the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada. 

“These are not the first SkyRangers going into service in Ukraine,” said Paul Grod, President Ukrainian World Congress, “but they are the most advanced, with FLIR’s latest set of optics and our first tactical airborne signals platforms. They will provide our people with the type of next-generation equipment that makes such a difference on the ground”.

The SkyRanger R70 UAVs, in service with militaries and public security agencies worldwide, are rugged, all-weather platforms built for the type of operational missions the Ukrainian Border Guards have been conducting since the start of the war.

“The Robotics Centre firmly supports Ukraine and is honoured to contribute the SkyRanger Uncrewed Aircraft System to enhance its battlefield capabilities. Our dedication lies in empowering Ukraine’s defence with cutting-edge technology for a stronger, more resilient future.  We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Ukrainian World Congress for their invaluable contribution and partnership in our shared endeavour,” – said James Brown, Director of Business Development at Robotics Centre. 

The made-in-Canada SkyRanger R70 is the world’s most advanced small miliary drone. These SkyRanger systems, each with two aircraft, will give Ukrainian front-line troops a dramatically improved ability to identify and locate the enemy through AI-enabled day and night optics systems capable of detecting movement, target tracking, and target classification.  The systems also include the Robotics Centre Echo payload, a signals intelligence platform integrated onto the SkyRanger’s mission control software.  The Echo allows operators to quickly find, map, and interact with mobile phone handsets in operational environments. 

“We are very grateful for this support in the form of these high-tech unmanned aerial systems, which I am confident will be very useful for our defenders. During the training sessions we witnessed the powerful monitoring capabilities of this unmanned arial vehicle, its modern thermal imaging cameras, the ability for round-the-clock operation, and other technical specifications. On behalf of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine I wish to express special thank you to the Ukrainian World Congress, in particular to President Paul Grod and Unite With Ukraine Director Andrew Potichnyj,” summarized Major General Leonid Baran, Director of the Department of State Border Protection of the Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. 

The UWC and Robotics Centre would like to thank the “Boryviter” school of UAV operators for their invaluable contribution in providing a training facility. Their efforts have been instrumental in the successful implementation of our programs. We would also like to extend our appreciation to Vertol, representative of the Robotics Centre in Ukraine, for their assistance in arranging delivery, import and transit licenses, and customs clearance. Their support has been crucial in ensuring the smooth operation of our projects.