Romania plans to build drone factory with possible Ukrainian partnership

Romania is set to invest €200 million in building its own unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) production facility, with plans to collaborate with Ukraine or other European Union partners.

The project, aimed at revitalising Romania’s long-neglected defence industry, is expected to be funded through the European SAFE mechanism — a €150 billion loan program dedicated to strengthening European and Ukrainian defence manufacturing, Caliber.Az reports per Defense Express.

The announcement came from Romania’s Minister of Economy, Radu Miruce, who stressed that the new drone plant would serve both symbolic and practical purposes. On one hand, it signals Romania’s readiness to adopt modern military technologies and align with current defence trends; on the other, it addresses a critical need to rebuild the country's industrial capacity after decades of underinvestment.

Miruce noted the importance of narrowing the gap between the Romanian military’s technological needs and the existing capabilities of the national defence industry.

The planned factory will focus on producing various types of drones, including FPV models, interceptor drones, and long-range UAVs. While details are still being finalised, Romanian officials have confirmed that talks are ongoing with Ukraine, which is being considered a strong partner due to its extensive battlefield experience and proven drone capabilities.

This is not the first time Romania has expressed interest in joint drone production with Ukraine. As early as July, local media reported that the Romanian Ministry of Defence had been in discussions with Ukrainian counterparts to co-produce drones on Romanian territory, with the potential for sales to other European countries. However, that initiative was stalled due to a lack of funds in the 2025 defence budget, pushing its expected launch to 2026.

It remains to be seen whether the SAFE program funding will accelerate the timeline. Still, recent developments suggest momentum is building. In August, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Romanian Defence Minister Liviu-Ionuț Moșteanu held talks on deepening industrial cooperation.

The discussions focused on the joint production of interceptor, FPV, and long-range drones, and the use of the SAFE mechanism to support technology exchange and establish Ukrainian-linked manufacturing in Romania.

By Sabina Mammadli