Atlas wants to launch drone production in Ukraine, but faces bureaucratic difficulties
It seems that Ukrainian officials are continuing to destroy the country’s investment climate and are trying their best to prevent foreign manufacturers from opening their businesses in Ukraine. In the last year alone, several foreign companies have decided to build their own plants in Ukraine. Two of them are engaged in the production of drones. While Turkey’s Baykar is successfully moving forward with the construction of the site, thanks to the direct patronage of the President’s Office, the Latvian company Atlas has faced problems.
What is known
Last year, Atals CEO Ivan Tolchinsky announced plans to create a research center and a company for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles. But the company faced problems.
If a research center has been organized, the launch of production is delayed due to some bureaucratic processes. As a result, the plant’s opening, scheduled for early 2023, is being postponed.
At the same time, Ivan Tolchynsky noted that Atlas continues to supply Ukraine with drones. In particular, since December last year, the Riga-based company has handed over approximately 200 Atlas Pro drones to the Armed Forces. Moreover, 88% of Atlas’ products are exported to Ukraine.
The Latvian company is looking to expand its portfolio. She started working on miniature Atlas mini and micro-Atlas drones weighing about 1 kg and 0.3 kg, respectively. Both systems are still under development.
At the same time, Ivan Tolchynsky emphasized that Ukrainian soldiers have begun to report more often that Atlas Pro is prone to jamming. This is due to the fact that Russia is trying to modernize its electronic warfare capabilities. Atlas engineers are working to make the drone more resistant to electronic attacks. In particular, they want to create a new version of the software that will allow Atlas to be used without the Internet or cellular connection.
