Joint venture between Wingcopter and TAF Industries showcased at the chancellery during bilateral talks between Friedrich Merz and Volodymyr Zelenskiy

A joint venture to manufacture Ukrainian reconnaissance drones in Germany has been formally presented in Berlin, highlighting Europe’s growing shift towards sovereign defence manufacturing in the ongoing wake of the war in Ukraine.

The technology was displayed at the German chancellery to coincide with bilateral meetings between the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

The project is a collaboration between the German aviation company Wingcopter and TAF Industries, one of Ukraine’s largest manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The two firms signed a memorandum of understanding in February under the “Build with Ukraine” framework, aiming to bring Ukrainian combat-tested drone technology to German production lines.

Representatives from the joint venture said the high-profile showcase underlined a growing strategic commitment by Germany and its European allies to strengthen regional security through homegrown, European-built solutions.

Following months of intensive development, the companies are now pushing to rapidly scale the manufacturing of dual-use drones on German soil. The initiative is designed to bolster broader European resilience while directly sustaining Kyiv’s ability to defend itself against Russian aggression.