Soldiers Can Now Customize Drones for Mission-Specific Needs via DOT-Chain Defence

The Defence Procurement Agency (DPA), together with the State Operator For Non-Lethal Acquisition (DOT), has introduced a new feature in the DOT-Chain Defence weapons marketplace: the Drone Configurator, enabling UAVs to be customized to meet specific combat tasks. This tool allows the military to tailor drones to specific combat scenarios and operational requirements bringing operational flexibility directly into the procurement process.

The configurator will be available on the platform later this year. Soldiers will be able to select key specifications such as operating frequency, flight altitude, camera type (thermal, night vision, etc.), and other mission-critical components. Once submitted, manufacturers will respond with proposals outlining production timelines and quantities. If the characteristics meet the soldier’s needs, the order is confirmed and the drone enters production.

“We’re building DOT-Chain Defence around the soldier. Over the next six months, 70% of UAV procurement for the Armed Forces will be handled through this system. The Drone Configurator is something fighters have directly asked for as it lets them select drones based on real battlefield needs, from camera type to flight range. These decisions are no longer made in offices. They're made at the front, where they matter most,” said Arsen Zhumadilov, Director of the Defence Procurement Agency, during a briefing on the marketplace’s performance.

Additional platform enhancements are planned, including a service request module for online consultations and a rating system that allows soldiers to provide feedback and share field experience with delivered equipment.

Since the first order was placed on July 31, the platform has processed and delivered 38,683 strike UAVs. Currently, the marketplace offers 184 drone models, including FPVs, bombers, and fixed-wing UAVs from 38 manufacturers, across two procurement programs. The average delivery time is 10 days, with the fastest fulfillment at 5 days.

DOT-Chain Defence was developed by the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition under the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, in partnership with the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO), and with support from the German Ministry of Defence.