Ukraine purchases 8,200 Chinese DJI Mavic 3 drones in $27.5 Million agreement.

On May 21, 2024, the Defense Procurement Agency of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed the purchase of 4,200 new Chinese DJI Mavic 3E drones with additional equipment, which brings the total number of recently contracted DJI Mavic drones to 8,200. This includes 7,200 DJI Mavic 3E and 1,000 DJI Mavic 3T units, with the total contract value reaching UAH 1.1 billion (approximately $27.5 million).
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The Mavic 3E's batteries allow for 45-minute flight durations, enabling extensive area coverage and efficient surveying. Furthermore, this drone is equipped with advanced obstacle detection and navigation systems, which provide advanced Return-to-Home (RTH) functionality and automatic rerouting around obstacles. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Dmytro Klimenkov, stated that drones play a crucial role in enhancing military operations, as they support defense capabilities and operational effectiveness. He emphasized the importance of timely equipping the military to address threats effectively.

Procurement details reveal that the average price per drone, including three additional batteries and a charger, is UAH 126.3 thousand (approximately $3,157.50) for the DJI Mavic 3E and UAH 194.2 thousand (approximately $4,855) for the DJI Mavic 3T. Maryna Bezrukova, Director of the Defense Procurement Agency, highlighted that the agency managed to save over UAH 65 million (approximately $1.625 million) from the expected cost through competitive auctions on the Prozorro platform, facilitated by post-payment practices to ensure delivery.

This new contract follows another significant acquisition on April 22, 2024, which secured 4,000 Chinese drones. This included 3,000 DJI Mavic 3E and 1,000 DJI Mavic 3T units, totaling UAH 575.2 million (approximately $14.38 million). This procurement is part of a broader goal to acquire 20,000 DJI drones via Prozorro, a platform designed to enhance transparency and competition in public procurement. Deliveries have begun, and distribution to military units is in progress. Additionally, the agency was working on contracts for 6,000 more drones, consisting of 4,500 Mavic 3E and 1,500 Mavic 3T units.

Prozorro, the platform used for these procurements, is known for its fully electronic and open-source nature, allowing global participation in public tenders. It supports the electronic submission of tender proposals and centralizes all public procurements within Ukraine. Prozorro integrates a public analytics module by Transparency International Ukraine, which facilitates procurement data analysis and supports procurements funded by international organizations such as the World Bank and the European Investment Bank.

The DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise Series, including the Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T models, is designed for specific professional requirements. The Mavic 3E, optimized for mapping and surveying, features a 20 MP wide-angle camera with a 4/3 CMOS sensor and a mechanical shutter. It also includes a hybrid zoom camera with up to 56x magnification and an RTK module for accurate positioning. The Mavic 3T, designed for operations such as firefighting and search and rescue, includes a 48 MP wide-angle camera and a thermal camera with 640 × 512 px resolution. This model's split-screen zoom functionality allows for efficient thermal and visual inspections.

Both models are equipped with advanced obstacle detection and navigation systems, ensuring flight safety. They include DJI AirSense and enhanced DJI APAS 5.0 technologies, which provide advanced Return-to-Home (RTH) functionality and automatic rerouting around obstacles. The Mavic 3E's batteries allow for 45-minute flight durations, enabling extensive area coverage and efficient surveying.