Ukraine Produces 3,000 Long-Range FP-1 Drones Monthly — Cheaper Than Shaheds
Ukraine’s new long-range FP-1 drone is being manufactured at a rate of 3,000 units per month, roughly 100 per day — on par with Russia’s production of Shahed drones, but the FP-1 costs far less. According to Defender.ua, citing an Associated Press report, the FP-1 only debuted publicly in May 2025. Despite its recent reveal, it has already reached industrial-scale output comparable to Russia’s Shahed lines.
- Each FP-1 costs $55,000, dramatically lower than the Russian Shahed. In 2023, Moscow paid about $193,000 per Shahed, according to hacked data released by Prana Network. Analysts note that costs may have fluctuated, potentially dropping due to simplified components or rising with the introduction of more advanced (and expensive) satellite navigation modules like the 8- and 12-element Kometa-M CRPA systems.
- The Associated Press piece also highlighted the production of Ukraine’s FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile, manufactured by the Fire Point enterprise.
How Ukraine Caught Up
- Ukraine has managed to match Russia’s drone output while slashing unit costs, largely thanks to smart engineering and lean manufacturing choices.
- The FP-1’s airframe is built from plywood and cut on CNC laser machines. It’s a cheap, scalable solution. Engineers fit the skin onto this wooden «skeleton,» which is secured with groove-and-tie connections.
- Despite this low-cost construction, the FP-1 is no lightweight: It can carry a 60 kg warhead and a maximum payload capacity of up to 120 kg. Its range is officially listed at up to 1,600 km.
- By contrast, the Shahed family, including the Iranian Shahed-136 and Russian derivatives Geran-2 and Garpya-1, relies on older, more expensive production methods. Based on 1980s German DAR technology, their carbon-fiber structures are cured in autoclaves with full spars and ribs. These drones are also larger overall, which further drives up production costs.
Ukraine’s FP-1 program has equalized production rates with Russia while undercutting costs by nearly a factor of four. With high payload capacity, long range, and rapid scaling, the FP-1 could become a cornerstone of Ukraine’s drone strategy.
Ukraine Produces 3,000 Long-Range FP-1 Drones Monthly — Cheaper Than Shaheds
Ukraine’s new long-range FP-1 drone is being manufactured at a rate of 3,000 units per month, roughly 100 per day — on par with Russia’s production of Shahed drones, but the FP-1 costs far less. According to Defender.ua, citing an Associated Press report, the FP-1 only debuted publicly in May 2025. Despite its recent reveal, it has already reached industrial-scale output comparable to Russia’s Shahed lines.
- Each FP-1 costs $55,000, dramatically lower than the Russian Shahed. In 2023, Moscow paid about $193,000 per Shahed, according to hacked data released by Prana Network. Analysts note that costs may have fluctuated, potentially dropping due to simplified components or rising with the introduction of more advanced (and expensive) satellite navigation modules like the 8- and 12-element Kometa-M CRPA systems.
- The Associated Press piece also highlighted the production of Ukraine’s FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile, manufactured by the Fire Point enterprise.
How Ukraine Caught Up
- Ukraine has managed to match Russia’s drone output while slashing unit costs, largely thanks to smart engineering and lean manufacturing choices.
- The FP-1’s airframe is built from plywood and cut on CNC laser machines. It’s a cheap, scalable solution. Engineers fit the skin onto this wooden «skeleton,» which is secured with groove-and-tie connections.
- Despite this low-cost construction, the FP-1 is no lightweight: It can carry a 60 kg warhead and a maximum payload capacity of up to 120 kg. Its range is officially listed at up to 1,600 km.
- By contrast, the Shahed family, including the Iranian Shahed-136 and Russian derivatives Geran-2 and Garpya-1, relies on older, more expensive production methods. Based on 1980s German DAR technology, their carbon-fiber structures are cured in autoclaves with full spars and ribs. These drones are also larger overall, which further drives up production costs.
Ukraine’s FP-1 program has equalized production rates with Russia while undercutting costs by nearly a factor of four. With high payload capacity, long range, and rapid scaling, the FP-1 could become a cornerstone of Ukraine’s drone strategy.
