Fri, 14 Nov 2025

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 From florist to drone maker: How the weapon became so mainstream

With drones centre stage in Ukraine, military firms around the globe are ramping up their production.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has led to an unprecedented growth in drone production, with hundreds of companies and individuals involved in making drones for military use. One such individual is Kseniia Kalmus, a former floral artist who now manufactures drones for use against Russian forces. She says she was motivated by a desire to help her country and people after the war began in 2022. Initially, she raised funds for general supplies, but soon realized that frontline soldiers were requesting First-Person View (FPV) drones, which she then started producing. Her operation is just one of many in Ukraine, where hundreds of companies have emerged to meet the demand for drones. The conflict has led to a significant shift in military strategy, with drones becoming a key weapon of war globally. According to Stacie Pettyjohn, director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security, the use of drones in Ukraine is unprecedented and has become a go-to weapon for Ukrainian forces. The world's biggest defense contractors are taking note, with companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing investing heavily in drone technology. As a counter-measure, anti-drone industries have emerged to develop technologies that can jam or destroy incoming drones. Companies like DroneShield and Munin Dynamics are working on counter-drone systems that can detect and take down small drones. Experts predict that the next big development in drone technology will be driven by artificial intelligence (AI), which will enable fully autonomous drones that can collaborate and navigate complex environments. The growth of the drone industry has also led to a significant increase in share prices for companies involved, with some seeing their values soar by over 15 times since 2022. The UK government has announced plans to spend £4.5 billion on new military drones, while Western nations are increasingly seeking anti-drone technologies to protect key infrastructure sites.
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