Export hurdles and visa waits for Ukrainian companies force Pentagon to slow its drone contest
One morning in June, the head of export at Ukrainian drone company Stellarion found himself unexpectedly in need of a U-Haul outside the Detroit Metro Airport in Michigan. Stellarion was set to test its drones in front of American soldiers at a competition organized by the Pentagon at Camp Grayling, a military base three hours away. But while many of its 48 invited competitors were American…
Export challenges and lengthy visa processes have forced the Pentagon to delay its drone contest, organizers announced. Ukrainian drone company Stellarion found itself scrambling at the last minute to prepare its drones for testing at Camp Grayling, a military base in Michigan. Despite performing well in the competition, the Ukrainian company's issues highlight broader struggles faced by competitors in the Pentagon's Drone Dominance Program (DDP).
The DDP, initiated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, aims to procure drones to assist U.S. defense efforts. Half of the 17 companies invited to compete in Phase 2.5, which focuses on bomber drones, are Ukrainian. However, the competition's tight timeline and export controls have caused delays and forced some companies to withdraw.
The Pentagon acknowledged the importance of Ukrainian-made drones, stating they have the most battlefield-tested Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems products in the world.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
