Germandrones and PERUN Scale Drone Support for Ukraine

Songbird surveillance platform and Phoenix FPV program expand with frontline feedback and local production

Germandrones and Ukrainian partner PERUN Precision Works Ukraine are deepening their cooperation to support Ukraine’s drone operations at the front. Over the past twelve months, the partners have delivered more than 500 Songbird surveillance drones to Ukrainian units, alongside pilot training, maintenance, and technical support.

As demand grows, the companies are scaling production, expanding training programs, and building out local service capabilities in Ukraine. Joint development teams in Germany and Ukraine work together to refine existing systems and move new capabilities into the field as quickly as possible.

Scaling Songbird Deliveries and Training

The Songbird platform is a fully automatic VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) system designed for long-range missions. With a maximum flight time of about two hours, it can fly roughly 100 kilometers beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), making it well suited for surveillance, mapping, and reconnaissance tasks in contested environments.

Germandrones has focused on delivering systems and expertise, while PERUN provides local delivery, hands-on training, and ongoing maintenance for Ukrainian units. Over the last year, more than 500 Songbird drones have reached frontline users.

Engineers from Germandrones and PERUN work directly with Ukrainian armed forces to translate operational experience into concrete upgrades. Feedback from active missions informs both software and hardware changes, helping crews adapt to evolving threats and conditions.

Engineering with Frontline Feedback

The development teams in Germany and Ukraine treat frontline feedback as a core part of the engineering process. During recent months, Germandrones and PERUN engineers have cooperated on improvements to the Songbird system, integrating user reports from active operations into current updates and planned future upgrades.

Ongoing technical work focuses on improving handling under frontline conditions, as well as extending flight range, communication links, and navigation robustness. These changes are coordinated between the cross-border teams, tested, and then passed quickly to operational units.

This approach shortens the loop between design and deployment. It allows the system to evolve as operational demands change, and helps ensure that new features address real needs rather than theoretical requirements.

Phoenix FPV Program and Interceptor Plans

Beyond the Songbird program, Germandrones and PERUN are also cooperating on the Phoenix FPV drone, which is produced locally in Ukraine. The Phoenix FPV platform has passed operational tests with several Ukrainian units. It adds another tool to the portfolio, focused on first-person-view missions that demand agility and precision.

Active bodies for the Phoenix platform are provided by Ragnarök LLC, a joint venture between Germandrones and Ukrainian partner Andrey Lutsky. The joint venture is also planning the development of interceptor systems and the medium-term supply of equipment for NATO countries.

Within this framework, the Phoenix K1 variant plays a key role. The Phoenix K1 supports an effective payload of up to 3.5 kilograms and an operational range of up to 30 kilometers. Target acquisition and tracking are supported by AI, which helps operators identify and follow targets more efficiently.

Production capacity expansion for Phoenix is underway. Facilities are planned to support the manufacture of up to 10,000 Phoenix units per month, reflecting the scale of demand for FPV and loitering systems in modern conflicts.

Management Perspectives

Company leaders on both sides frame the cooperation as a long-term commitment rather than a short-term response.

Klaus Scho, CEO Germandrones, said: “Germandrones is strengthening its commitment to long-term support of the Ukrainian armed forces through technology partnerships and local production. This will enable us to achieve our goals of technological leadership and growth more quickly.”

Igor Savuliak, CEO PERUN Precision Works Ukraine, emphasized the role of integration between development and operations. “Close integration of production, training and field operations ensures rapid, practical improvements and reliable local sustainment.”

About Germandrones and the Condor Group

Germandrones develops and manufactures unmanned aerial systems for industrial and security use, with a focus on reliability and professional applications. The company’s systems and software, built to German technical standards, support use cases such as surveying and mapping, search and rescue, inspection, and security and surveillance.

The Songbird family combines the range and endurance of a fixed-wing aircraft with the flexibility of a multicopter, allowing vertical takeoff and landing without a runway. Germandrones’ planning and control software is designed for professional missions in inspection, mapping, and operations by police, military, rescue, and security organizations.

Germandrones operates within the broader security and technology ecosystem of the CONDOR-Group. Since 1978, CONDOR has provided protection and security services across Germany and abroad, including rail construction site security, critical infrastructure protection, maritime and aviation security, and 24/7 monitoring services. The group also works in UAV technology, offering pilot training, drone operations, and the distribution of hardware and software, including VTOL systems for route and area monitoring.

The expanded partnership between Germandrones and PERUN builds on this background in security and unmanned systems. Together, the companies aim to sustain and scale drone support for Ukraine through a mix of local production, ongoing training, and continuous technical improvement.

Miriam McNabb

Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.

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