On the battlefield and in security operations, Ukraine is testing a new class of portable drone masts designed to keep reconnaissance and FPV (first-person view) drones connected even under shelling and irregular terrain. The project from the 1ms team debuted at the Brave1 Defense Tech Valley 2025 exhibition, presenting two practical configurations and a clear message about speed, mobility, and domestic innovation. These portable drone masts are built to be carried and erected quickly, turning a difficult front line into a more connected information-enabled zone.

Mobility and deployment speed

The masts come in two initial variants, a compact 4 metre unit and a larger 8 metre model, with a 12 metre version in development. The design emphasizes fast setup, with an automated electric drive, telescopic guides and collapsible stabilising legs. In practical terms, a crew now can move from pack to functional relay in a matter of minutes rather than tens of minutes, a crucial advantage in contested environments. Field reports indicate that deployment time can be as short as one to two minutes depending on model, a dramatic improvement over older systems.

Domestic manufacturing and modular use

Central to the project is its reliance on Ukrainian-made components. Only a minority of bearings and rolled metal elements are imported, while most parts are machined, cut, or 3D printed in-house. That approach reduces supply-chain exposure and speeds iteration. The masts are designed to lift signal repeaters and antennas for drone control or interceptors, and the concept extends to civilian roles such as lighting, surveillance, or event security when needed.

Volodymyr, the developer, notes that the hardware is intentionally modular. Requests have already come to mount the masts on robotic ground platforms for on-the-ground surveillance, as well as on pickups and other vehicles. A tilt-and-swivel mechanism allows precise antenna direction toward the drone, and an automatic tracking system is planned to adjust positioning in real time. The focus on mobility makes one person capable of carrying and deploying the mast independently, a feature seen as essential for dispersed or rapidly moving teams.

Prototype field trials have already taken place with UAV command posts and a unit in Kharkiv Oblast using the masts under combat conditions. Feedback from these exercises is guiding refinements ahead of serial production targeted for the second half of autumn. Production capacity starts at roughly 20 units per month for the 8 metre version, with plans to scale to 50 per month as demand grows. The estimated price for a single unit is around 160,000 Ukrainian hryvnia, or about $3,800, highlighting the blend of portability and affordability that Ukraine aims to achieve with domestic components and in-house manufacturing.

The Brave1 grant and expert support are helping the team finalize product codification and readiness for mass production. The emphasis on rapid deployment, local supply chains and field-ready performance signals a broader push to empower frontline units with lighter, faster, and more resilient communications infrastructure. For defense planners, the message was unmistakable: portable drone masts can extend a unit’s reach without imposing a heavy logistical burden.

Conclusion

As drone operations expand across civil and defense sectors, compact mobility plus robust signal capability determines the pace of action on the ground. The Ukrainian effort to deliver portable drone masts with domestic components may reshape how frontline communications are built in fast-moving scenarios. If scaled, this approach could become a blueprint for other nations seeking to reduce dependence on long supply chains while boosting the agility of surveillance and reconnaissance missions.