Skyeton

Skyeton CEO Roman Knyazhenko Joins Serhiy Zgurets to Highlight Key UAV Developments on Espreso TV Skyeton’s CEO, Roman Knyazhenko, recently sat down with military expert Serhiy Zgurets on ESPRESO TV to discuss the role of UAVs in modern defense. The interview covered the critical impact of long-term government contracts and funding on Ukraine’s defense sector, as well as updates on the Skyeton’s ACS-3 UAV — now equipped with advanced SAR radar for optimal performance in challenging conditions. Roman Knyazhenko highlighted the importance of creating a unified operator center, designed to streamline operations and allow safe, centralized UAV control across a range of missions. Watch the full interview with English subtitles:

Skyeton Participated as a General Partner in Aviation Career Day at NAU Skyeton joined National Aviation University's Career Day, organized alongside Boeing-Ukraine, where industry leaders and aspiring talent came together to explore the future of aviation and unmanned technology. As the general partner of the event, Skyeton shared insights, innovations, and career possibilities with the next generation of aviation professionals. Nazarii Feshchuk, Skyeton’s HR Director, spoke about the rapidly advancing role of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and why now is the perfect time for young talents to consider careers in Ukrainian defense tech. As Nazar outlined, the demand for expertise in UAS and aviation technology in Ukraine and internationally is immense. This field offers unmatched opportunities for those passionate about engineering, mechanics, electronics, and software development. A special thanks to NAU for fostering an environment that connects talent with leading companies like Skyeton. Together, we’re paving the way for a future where Ukrainian-made aviation technology plays a central role globally. Check out the Career Day video (with English subtitles):

Reliability that Keeps Missions on Track Designed for repeat assignments, Raybird ranks as one of the most enduring UAVs in its class. Central to its reliability is an automated parachute recovery system, ensuring safe landings for both the aircraft and its valuable payloads, readying them for the next mission. Complementing this is a fully redundant system architecture — an aviation-grade standard. If one component fails, a backup takes over, maintaining uninterrupted performance, even under extreme conditions — a rare feature in UAVs but essential at Skyeton. With a reinforced airframe, you can trust your mission-critical equipment remains secure and operational. Reusing the same UAV for successive assignments offers the flexibility to handle varying tasks effortlessly while streamlining maintenance routines. Imagine a reliable aerial partner consistently delivering, flight after flight, without sacrificing performance. That’s Raybird.

Skyeton's CEO, Roman Knyazhenko, recently joined Radio NV to discuss a critical topic: the risks and realities of military technology falling into enemy hands during war. He emphasized that nearly all equipment currently used by Ukrainian forces eventually ends up with the enemy, and explained why this reality should not prevent Ukraine from exporting weapons to trusted NATO allies. Roman Knyazhenko highlighted the importance of opening up arms exports to specific countries, helping bolster Ukraine's economy and military sector. 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eFcefxh5 🎥 Watch the video interview (in Ukrainian): https://lnkd.in/ejRAPasQ

Skyeton: from ultralight aircraft to modern unmanned aerial systems. Few people know that Skyeton’s story actually began with aircraft, not unmanned systems, as some might think. Eighteen years ago, in 2006, Skyeton took its first steps into aviation with the production of the ultralight aircraft K-10 Swift. These early ventures laid the groundwork for the company’s commitment to aviation-grade production standards. From the very beginning, Skyeton positioned itself as an aviation company — not just a manufacturer of UAVs. For nearly a decade, Skyeton produced the K-10 Swift, which is still in active use around the world today. The turning point came in 2015, following the war russia initiated against Ukraine, when the company made the strategic decision to pivot from manned aircraft to unmanned aerial systems (UAS). By 2016, the first prototypes of their UAS, named Raybird, were successfully tested. Just two years later, in 2018, the Raybird entered serial production, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces officially adopted it under the name ACS-3. That same year, Raybird set a national record for continuous flight duration in Ukraine — surpassing 24 hours. Beyond Ukraine, Raybird began flying internationally, serving a variety of civilian purposes such as border monitoring and powerline inspections. When the russian full-scale invasion in Ukraine began in 2022, Skyeton shifted all its efforts toward defending the country. So, it’s no surprise that Skyeton continues to proudly use the term "aviation" to describe itself — it’s embedded in the company’s DNA.

Skyeton's founder, Alexander Stepura, was honored to speak at the Navigating the Future of European Defence panel organized by FTI Consulting EU in Brussels on Oct 17 on how Ukrainian defense and deeptech companies could share their cutting-edge developments to help strengthen EU security. With over 18 years in the aviation business, and, ironically, as a pilot himself, Alex Stepura is sure that the future of warfare is with unmanned systems. In this segment, Ukraine is not only ready to defend itself but add value and integrate with NATO and EU in strengthening the security of the Eastern flank. As one of the event guests wittily put it, "EU'd better sober up and start taking its security and defense seriously, or begin to learn russian". It was gratifying to see high positioned participants working hard towards the former option.

Skyeton's CEO Roman Knyazhenko Shares Insights in Exclusive NV Interview In an interview with NV, our CEO Roman Knyazhenko discussed the impressive capabilities of the ACS-3 UAV, which has been in service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2018. With a flight range of up to 2500 km and an endurance of over 28 hours, the ACS-3 plays a crucial role in deep reconnaissance and strike missions, including electronic warfare, supply delivery, and combat operations. Roman Knyazhenko emphasized the UAV's efficiency in operating in difficult conditions, with minimal infrastructure needs. Skyeton’s ACS-3 can be prepared for flight in just 20 minutes, offering unique advantages on the battlefield. These features, combined with its multi-role capabilities, position Skyeton’s ACS-3 as one of the leaders in UAV technology on the global stage. Read more about Skyeton's impact and the future of UAV technology in Ukraine here (article in Ukrainian): https://lnkd.in/ehQ9EgkM

Skyeton is proud to partner with the IV National Engineering Hackathon SmaRTF, organized by National Technical University of Ukraine 'Kyiv Polytechnic Institute'. Participants will develop smart military electronics to support Ukraine’s defense, competing in categories such as defense, offense, reconnaissance, rescue, security, and training systems for the military. As a key partner, Skyeton is actively involved: Our CEO, Roman Knyazhenko, will give the opening speech. Yevhenii Kharkov, our systems engineer, will mentor teams. Dmitriy Utva, our CTO, will serve as a jury member to evaluate final prototypes. The competition takes place in two stages: October 18-20: Teams will solve challenges and present their projects online. December 14: Finalists will present functional prototypes in an offline session. The winning team will receive a $2,000 cash prize and additional rewards. For more details, visit: https://smartf.kpi.ua/

Our CEO, Roman Knyazhenko, has published a column on Ukrainska Pravda. In his article, "Looking Ahead: Five Lessons from Our War for NATO’s Military Doctrine," Roman discusses key insights from russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and their potential impact on NATO's military strategies. The article covers five main aspects: Drones: Their expanded role in modern warfare, from reconnaissance to long-range strikes, and how they fill the gap between traditional weapons and individual combat systems. Cost of War: Demonstrating how low-cost drones can deliver critical results, offering an alternative to expensive military assets. Coordination: The importance of integrating drones with traditional weaponry to enhance coordination and effectiveness on the battlefield. Mobility and Speed: How new technologies enable soldiers to take greater initiative, increasing their operational flexibility. Automation: The future of autonomous drones powered by AI, capable of identifying and eliminating targets without human input. For full details, read Roman's article in Ukrainian on Ukrainska Pravda: https://lnkd.in/eqdpqMsu

Last week, our founder Alexander Stepura participated in the Defense Tech Valley international investment summit in Kyiv. This exclusive, invite-only event, organized by the BRAVE1 cluster, brought together over 100 global investors and more than 250 Ukrainian defense tech teams to showcase innovations aimed at strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities. The event was not publicly announced, and all participants were required to sign a declaration confirming no ties to russia. During the summit, Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science, and Technology Development, emphasized the importance of defense technologies in modern warfare and Ukraine's ability to leverage innovative solutions to counter enemy advantages. The event provided a unique opportunity for Ukrainian developers to connect with international partners and present cutting-edge systems that have already proven their effectiveness in combat. Skyeton presented our latest advancements in unmanned systems, focusing on cutting-edge innovations designed to meet the evolving needs of modern warfare and technological progress.