Japan’s Terra Drone invests in Ukrainian WinnyLab and unveils new Terra A2 drone

Japan’s Terra Drone Corporation has announced a strategic investment in Ukrainian company WinnyLab, which develops fixed-wing interceptor drones. The partners also unveiled the Terra A2 UAV, which is expected to become “a key element of a layered air defence system.”

The size of the deal was not disclosed. However, in a previous conversation with Defender Media, Terra Drone CEO Toru Tokushige said that each of the company’s investments in Ukrainian defence projects would range between $0.5 million and $1 million. In total, Terra Drone plans to invest around $10 million in Ukraine’s unmanned technologies sector.

Before the announcement, very little information about WinnyLab was publicly available. The company is owned and led by CEO Olha Bihun, and its legal entity was registered only in February 2026.

Terra A2 is an electric fixed-wing drone capable of reaching speeds of up to 312 km/h. It has a maximum range of up to 75 km and an endurance of over 40 minutes. According to the developers, these performance metrics were achieved through comprehensive optimisation of the battery, motor efficiency, wing design, and reduced aerodynamic drag.

The company says Terra A2 can perform a full mission cycle — from airspace monitoring to target detection, tracking, and engagement — effectively forming a distinct layer of air defence that cannot be fully covered by short-range interception systems alone.

According to Terra Drone, the investment in WinnyLab is part of a broader strategy to build a layered defence architecture. Earlier, the Japanese company announced an investment in Ukrainian startup Amazing Drones and jointly unveiled the Terra A1 missile-type interceptor drone. That system is designed for short-range interception, while Terra A2 is intended for long-range interception, extended patrol, and early threat response.