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The Ukrainian drone frames are almost all 7"-10" carbon fiber pieces machined out from a sheet in China. About $15. Speedybee (Also China) took over the ESC an
by swamp40 3y ago
The Ukrainian drone frames are almost all 7"-10" carbon fiber pieces machined out from a sheet in China. About $15. Speedybee (Also China) took over the ESC and controller market by undercutting everyone by 50%. The blades can't be 3D printed because they need to be smooth and strong, but China again sells them for $1. Motors, China. Ukrainian volunteers are assembling them en masse.
China is also selling the same stuff to Russia. Some local manufacturing is being attempted (for instance I have seen a Ukrainian made ESC board and Russian steel frames) but China pricing and quality is really difficult to compete against.
Russia is beginning to ramp up drone production in real factories and I suspect they will eventually out-produce Ukraine, who is easily building 10K/month right now.