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Lithuania to Supply Thousands of GA-10-FPV-AI Drones to Ukraine.
On September 25, 2024, the Lithuanian government announced it will provide thousands of locally manufactured GA-10-FPV-AI first-person view (FPV) drones to the Ukrainian and Lithuanian armed forces as part of a major investment in a low-cost capability that transforms modern combat.
Granta Autonomy GA-10-FPV-AI first-person view (FPV) drone (Picture source: Granta Autonomy)
The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense announced a $1 million contract with the Vilnius-based drone company Granta Autonomy, founded in 2015, for its new GA-10-FPV-AI quadcopter platform.
"The new unmanned aerial vehicles are part of a broader defense procurement initiative worth €8 million involving several other Lithuanian drone manufacturers," Lithuanian authorities stated in a press release.
A total of 2,300 drones will be delivered to the Lithuanian army, and 5,000 units will be provided to Ukraine, sourced from selected Lithuanian companies, with the first deliveries expected to arrive in the war-torn country by the end of this month.
The drones feature a quadcopter frame with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities and the ability to carry a maximum payload of 3 kilograms, according to the company.
In August, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced that combat drones produced by five Lithuanian companies had successfully passed tests conducted by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense to simulate a frontline environment and would be selected for deployment to troops.
According to local news outlet LRT, an initial batch of drones had previously failed such a test.
The GA-10-FPV-AI is claimed to be capable of operating autonomously in GPS-denied environments, customizable for different video transmission frequencies and camera types.
Ukrainian FPVs have gained importance in recent months on the battlefield, successfully striking Russian attack helicopters and armored vehicles.
Experts predict that the future use of FPVs in combat will involve operating them in swarms or groups to overwhelm enemy defenses at lower costs.
Lithuania has taken note of these developments, announcing this summer that its armed forces are undergoing specialized training to learn how to operate FPVs, along with plans to equip all military branches with these drones.