US Army Buys Battle-Tested Ukraine Observation Drone

The US Army has contracted $10.64 million to purchase Ukrainian Raybird reconnaissance drones from Skyeton Inc., a leading manufacturer based in North Las Vegas. This fixed-price internet tender, awarded exclusively to Skyeton, will see the delivery of the Ukrainian-made Raybird (ACS-3) drones to the Army's weapons development and testing facility at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. The contract, to be completed by December 15, 2026, does not specify the number of aircraft to be delivered.

Founded in 2024 by Oleksandr Stepura, Skyeton's Raybird consists of three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a portable ground-control station, antenna system, launcher, and optical/photo/radar equipment for a total cost of $1.2 million. The drones are medium-sized, weighing 23 kg (64 lbs) with a wingspan of 2.96 to 4.2 meters (9.7 to 13.8 feet).

Launched with a simple catapult and landing by parachute, the Raybird has been in operation since 2018, earning a reputation as one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' most reliable and tested reconnaissance platforms.

With over 350,000 operational flight hours and hundreds of combat missions flown daily, the Raybird is renowned for its ability to perform long-term observations for up to 24-28 hours, covering a maximum range of 2,500 km (1,500 miles). It transmits live video feeds back to base over communication channels within 200+ km (125+ miles).

The drone's data links and enhanced antennae allow it to transmit precise target locations to artillery batteries or attack drone crews, even in the face of heavy jamming of GPS and control-system data links.