The charitable foundation "Wild Hornets," which collects FPV drones for Ukrainian military free of charge, is manufacturing flight controller modules for drones, which will help to break free from Chinese suppliers.
Wild Hornets produce several different types of drones, both with FPV cameras and with reusable bombers on small 7-inch or larger 10-inch frames. Recently, they started producing a quadcopter called Wally with night vision sensors. All of them are based on the same flight controller, and Wild Hornets can easily switch production from one type to another depending on demand.
Thanks to increased production, Wild Hornets have reduced the cost of their FPV drones by almost 12%, from $400 to $350, Forbes reports, citing statements from manufacturers in a recent interview on the WarTranslated podcast.
Additionally, their own flight controllers allow for a reduction in the risks associated with dependence on Chinese suppliers and inflated prices. Major manufacturers like SpeedyBee, located in China, have restricted the export of certain components for drones to Ukraine. Ukrainian drone manufacturers often complain about difficulties in obtaining parts from Chinese suppliers and believe that they have special relations with the Russians.