logo
episode-header-image
Nov 13
17m 43s

Drones: Who is making the new weapons of...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

From Ukraine and Russia to Gaza and Sudan, drones have become a key weapon of war. Which companies are making them, and profiting from this rapidly expanding but controversial sector within the defence industry?

We hear from a woman in Ukraine who used to own a flower shop in Kyiv, but who is now making drones to send to the front-line; and we hear from a Russian who left his homeland as a teenager and now, from Australia, is developing the technology that helps protect Ukraine from Russian attack.

And a former Norwegian paratrooper tells us how he can help protect soldiers from drones.

Produced/presenter: Gideon Long

(Photo: Participants in the 'Wild Drones' tournament, organised by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city of Kamianets, Ukraine, 5 October, 2025. Credit: Maria Senovilla/EPA/Shutterstock)

Up next
Nov 21
What happens when the aid money runs out?
<p>In the second of our two-part series on tightening aid budgets, Sam Fenwick explores what shrinking donor support means for global health — from the sudden halt to major US-funded projects, to the pressure on low-income countries to increase their own health spending.</p><p>As ... Show More
17m 30s
Nov 20
What's next for USAID funded projects?
<p>We examine the fallout from the cuts to US foreign aid.</p><p>We meet projects in Rwanda and Nepal that were close to shutting down - and hear the story of a mystery donor who stepped in to keep them going. </p><p>But how long will the support last? </p><p>Presented and produ ... Show More
17m 28s
Nov 19
Is cricket financially healthy?
<p>One of world sport's biggest rivalries gets underway this week, with England and Australia going head to head in the Ashes. Most matches will last around four or five days, but it's actually the short form of the game that is growing the fastest - and bringing in big audiences ... Show More
17m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
The Gamers Piloting Drones on Ukraine’s Front Lines
The use of drones is transforming how the war in Ukraine is being fought. Squadrons of pilots, mostly young men, are deploying skills and reflexes learned from videogames to attack Russian troops and inflicting casualties, while acting like military startups in the field. WSJ’s U ... Show More
14m 9s
Oct 2024
Ukrainian Long-Range Drones
Outmanned and outgunned, Ukraine must work creatively to make a dent in Russia's war machine. Long-range drones that strike deep inside Russia are one of those innovations. Correspondent Fred Pleitgen was given exclusive access to one top-secret drone unit, and brings us a report ... Show More
59m 11s
Jan 2025
Hunting Russian soldiers with Ukraine's ace drone unit & tank brigade goes AWOL in France
Day 1,045.Today, after the latest updates from the battlefield, we hear about the cutting edge drones being used to wage war against Moscow's forces, and the moral conundrums they raise. Plus, we consider the state of the Russian economy as we enter 2025. Contributors:Dominic Nic ... Show More
53m 54s
Feb 2025
Ukraine Is Selling American Weapons to Mexican Drug Cartels. Col. Daniel Davis on How to Stop It.
The Ukrainian military is selling American weapons systems on the black market, including to drug cartels. This war is killing the United States. Col. Daniel Davis on how Donald Trump can end it. (00:00) Why Crimea Is So Pivotal to the Ukraine/Russia War (13:17) Ukraine Is Power ... Show More
1h 7m
Sep 27
Ukraine's high-tech war of attrition, with Christopher Miller
<p>The war in Ukraine has entered a dangerous new phase, with Russia sending bigger, more powerful drone attacks across the border nearly every day. Gone are the tanks, columns of troops, and heavy artillery from the early days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Now, tens of thousa ... Show More
27m 17s
Aug 2024
Why has Ukraine launched a military incursion into Russia now?
An expanding Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory forces Moscow to evacuate civilians. It's an embarrassment for President Vladimir Putin, and a morale-booster for Ukrainians. But why has Kyiv launched this operation now?  In this episode: Olesia HoriaInova, Co-founder, Ukr ... Show More
25m 9s