The 57th Brigade is testing the reconnaissance drone Domakha. What can it do, and who makes it?

The artillery reconnaissance battery of the 57th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade has reported that it is conducting trials of the Ukrainian reconnaissance drone “Domakha”, designed to detect enemy infantry and military equipment. Although this UAV is one of the longer‑serving models in Ukraine’s drone fleet, it rarely appears in the public domain. Defender Media has gathered information on its current trials and interviewed its developers.

The published photos show a training flight ahead of the device’s first combat deployment. The “Domakha” is intended for reconnaissance, the collection of real-time operational data, and the correction of artillery and missile fire. Thanks to its compact catapult launcher, the drone can take off from almost any location, while a dedicated parachute system is used for landing. The drone is operated by a two-person crew — a ground station operator and a UAV pilot.

The “Domakha” is codified and available in several variants, differing in optical payloads. The system can be deployed in 10 minutes, remains airborne for up to two hours, reaches altitudes of up to 2,500 metres, and has a maximum speed of 30 km/h. It can be operated manually from a ground station or in fully autonomous mode. The drone’s software is integrated with the Delta situational awareness system.

The developer of the system is the Zaporizhzhia-based company Air Skyline. Work on the UAV began back in 2014, but at the time the drone was not considered a priority. Since 2022, the upgraded “Domakha” in several configurations has been deployed on the front line. In a comment to Defender Media, the company stated that the UAV system is in demand among military users, and production has been contracted through to the end of the year by both the state procurement agency and individual military units.