Western Balkans
Mapping the Western Balkans' Growing Drone Ecosystem
From Croatia's Orqa to Serbia's Elbit joint venture and Kosovo's Skifteri, the Western Balkans is fast becoming a serious unmanned systems production hub. Here is who builds what.
Drone manufacturer
Czech Republic
Airlogix and PBS Plan Turbine Engine Production in Ukraine
Ukraine’s Airlogix and Czech manufacturer PBS Group have agreed to establish local production of small turbine engines for unmanned aircraft. The project will begin with assembly and maintenance capabilities before moving toward deeper manufacturing in Ukraine.
Croatia
Croatia’s Orqa Expands Distributed Drone Manufacturing Network Across Allied Markets
Croatian drone manufacturer Orqa is expanding its international manufacturing network as part of a broader effort to increase annual drone production capacity beyond one million units. The company plans to distribute production across allied markets.
Drones
Japanese Startup Develops Low-Cost Shiraha Drone With Potential Implications for European Mass Procurement
A Japanese startup has introduced the Shiraha drone, a low-cost unmanned system reportedly priced below $450 per unit. The platform reflects a growing shift toward affordable, attritable drone capabilities.
Croatia
Orqa expands drone manufacturing in Croatia as Europe accelerates strategic decoupling from China
Orqa has expanded its drone manufacturing capacity in Osijek to 280,000 EU-made, NDAA-compliant drones annually — a pivotal shift as Europe seeks secure, non-Chinese supply chains for defence-grade unmanned systems.