Romania, Ukraine Launch Military Drone Production in Cluj-Napoca
Romanian technology company OVES Enterprise and Ukraine's EDRONE will jointly manufacture military drones in Cluj-Napoca, creating an initial production capacity of 1,000 systems per month with plans for significant expansion.
Romania and Ukraine are moving from defense cooperation to industrial production after Romanian technology company OVES Enterprise and Ukrainian drone manufacturer EDRONE announced plans to establish a joint military drone production facility in Cluj-Napoca. The project will manufacture battlefield-proven unmanned systems in Romania for domestic, European, and Ukrainian requirements, beginning with an initial capacity of approximately 1,000 drones per month.
The announcement represents one of the most concrete examples of Romania's effort to expand its domestic defense manufacturing base while leveraging Ukraine's wartime experience in drone development. It also follows the bilateral Romanian-Ukrainian defense production framework signed earlier this year, which envisioned manufacturing Ukrainian defense systems, including drones, on Romanian territory.
Cluj-Napoca facility to produce three drone categories
The production site will initially manufacture first-person view (FPV), interceptor, and reconnaissance drones. According to the companies, the first Romanian-built systems are expected to be unveiled this autumn before entering testing and demonstration activities.
OVES Enterprise will contribute its proprietary Nemesis AI platform together with autonomous systems expertise, while EDRONE will transfer manufacturing processes and operational know-how gained through large-scale wartime production in Ukraine. The drones are expected to incorporate artificial intelligence for target identification, classification, tracking, terminal guidance, and situational awareness.
The Cluj-Napoca facility is intended to perform the complete manufacturing cycle, including systems integration, configuration, testing, and mission preparation, allowing completed drones to leave the production line ready for operational use.
Production could expand to 15,000 drones monthly
The companies stated that the first production phase targets approximately 1,000 drones per month with an initial workforce of around 30 employees. As procurement contracts materialize, the partners intend to expand manufacturing capacity to between 10,000 and 15,000 drones per month.
The production portfolio may also grow beyond the initial three drone types to as many as 27 models, depending on customer demand and future Romanian and European procurement programs.
Part of Romania's broader defense industrial strategy
The announcement aligns with Romania's wider effort to develop domestic production capacity under European Union defense initiatives. Earlier this year, Bucharest and Kyiv agreed to cooperate on manufacturing Ukrainian defense systems in Romania, while Romanian officials confirmed discussions on using European SAFE funding to support joint drone production projects.
For Romania, the partnership offers access to manufacturing expertise developed during four years of high-intensity combat in Ukraine. For Kyiv, establishing production inside the European Union provides additional industrial resilience, expands manufacturing capacity outside Ukraine, and strengthens supply chains serving both Ukrainian and European customers.
The project also reflects a broader trend across Europe, where governments and industry are accelerating investments in unmanned systems and distributed manufacturing to reduce dependence on non-European suppliers while increasing production capacity for rapidly evolving battlefield technologies.
[Previous AD coverage of Romania's drone modernization]
[Previous AD coverage of European UAV industrial cooperation]
Outlook
If production begins on schedule later this year, the Cluj-Napoca facility will become one of Romania's most significant drone manufacturing sites and could serve as a model for future Romanian-Ukrainian defense industrial cooperation. The pace of expansion will ultimately depend on procurement contracts from Romania, Ukraine, and other European customers.
Questions and Answers
What drones will be produced in Romania?
The facility will initially manufacture FPV attack drones, interceptor drones, and reconnaissance drones, with the potential to expand production to as many as 27 different models.
Who are the partners?
The project combines Romanian technology company OVES Enterprise, which develops autonomous systems and artificial intelligence software, with Ukrainian manufacturer EDRONE, one of Ukraine's largest drone producers.
How many drones will the factory produce?
The first production phase targets approximately 1,000 drones per month, with long-term plans to expand capacity to between 10,000 and 15,000 units monthly depending on orders.
Why is this project significant?
The facility represents a practical implementation of Romania's strategy to expand its defense industrial base while integrating Ukrainian battlefield experience into European manufacturing capacity.
