Romania in talks with Ukraine for joint drone production

Romania is currently discussing with Ukraine the possibility of developing joint drone production projects, according to defense minister Ionuț Moșteanu.

Drones have been at the forefront of the war between Ukraine and Russia, used by both sides for reconnaissance, surveillance, but also deep strikes in enemy territory.

The prevalence of drones on the battlefield and their effectiveness in countering traditional armored units, such as tanks, has been well-documented as well. This has led EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to encourage member states to invest in drone production.

In this context, Romania began talks with Ukraine for joint drone projects. On Monday, September 15, defense minister Ionuț Moșteanu talked to Sergiy Boyev, the deputy defense minister of Ukraine, to tap into the Ukrainian experience with drones.

“It is a partnership that will be able to bring investment, technology, and jobs to Romania, strengthening our defense industry,” Moșteanu explained, recalling the proven effectiveness of drones.

“Romania has the chance to become a regional hub for the production of drones and modern equipment, and for that, we will work together with economy minister Radu Miruță to attract new contracts,” the official concluded, according to Digi24.

Several Romanian companies are already producing military-grade drones. Carfil, a state-owned weapons manufacturing company, is expected to start producing military drones in Brasov by the end of the year in partnership with the US company Periscope Aviation.

Private companies in Romania are also involved in drone projects. BraveX.Aero, a deep-tech startup based in Cluj-Napoca, is currently producing about 70 industrial drones per year, with plans to up production to 500. OVES Enterprise, another Cluj-based company, is providing its AI software, Nemesis AI, for large military drones.

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