Ukraine drone pilots want simple attack drones in large numbers, soldier says Western designs are often overcomplicated

Frontline needs come first

Dmytro “Liber” Zhluktenko, a former drone operator who now analyzes lessons for Ukraine’s 413th Unmanned Systems Regiment “RAID,” told Business Insider that Ukrainian forces need equipment that works without unnecessary additions. For first-person-view attack drones, he said, the priority is a basic design.

Zhluktenko criticized Western defense manufacturers for producing systems he described as too complex, expensive and distant from battlefield realities. He said most drones being used in Ukraine are made domestically, with Ukrainian options doing the same job for less.

Adaptable platforms for combat

Frontline troops frequently modify weapons as battlefield conditions shift, and some Ukrainian units have their own research and development centers. Operators want generic platforms they can configure, upgrade or rework for different missions.

Zhluktenko said users should be able to change components themselves and build on a basic platform. He argued that some Western manufacturers remain focused on small production runs of feature-rich equipment, even when those additions have limited value in Ukraine’s combat.

Scale and speed matter

The comments echo concerns from Western and Ukrainian officials that the war has exposed the limits of depending on small numbers of highly advanced weapons. Large-scale warfare may also call for far more affordable, less capable equipment.

Zhluktenko said the issue is a balance: simple drones remain necessary and are often needed in much greater quantities. He cited Ukrainian makers SkyFall and General Cherry as producing such drones at scale, and said spending should be in thousands of dollars rather than hundreds of thousands.

The article also includes comments from an unnamed woman, who said additional software and hardware could be layered onto a functional system. She contrasted wartime and peacetime operations, saying Western companies might act differently if required to move faster and produce at greater scale. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said last year that “speed is of the essence, not perfection.”