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Skyeton
OrganisationUA

Skyeton

Ukrainian drone manufacturer and maker of the Raybird surveillance platform, bidding for the UK's Project Corvus Watchkeeper replacement contract with a Plymouth production line.

Last refreshed: 25 June 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Can a drone hardened in Ukraine's war replace Britain's failed Watchkeeper?

Background

Skyeton is a Ukrainian uncrewed aerial system manufacturer competing for the British Army's Project Corvus contract, the £156 million programme to replace the ageing Watchkeeper Mk1. The company's Raybird drone has accumulated more than 350,000 combat flight hours with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, giving it a battle-hardened credibility no Western competitor in the Corvus field can match. In July 2025 Skyeton formed a joint venture, Skyeton Prevail Solutions, with London-based security firm Prevail Partners, and announced plans for a Raybird production line in Plymouth.

Founded in Kyiv in 2006 by Aleksandr Stepura and a team of aviation engineers, Skyeton originally produced the K-10 Swift light sport aircraft before pivoting to unmanned systems after Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. Development of the Raybird series began in 2015; the platform entered Ukrainian Armed Forces service in 2016 and the global market in 2020. The company now employs more than 500 people, including over 100 engineers, and has produced more than 1,000 aircraft. A new manufacturing facility opened in Slovakia in 2024 to serve NATO-market demand. In May 2026 a Russian strike destroyed Skyeton's Kyiv office.

Skyeton's significance to the UK lies in the proof-of-concept it offers for combat-derived procurement: the Raybird has been continuously upgraded in wartime conditions and carries payloads including electro-optical/infrared gimbals, synthetic aperture radar, and ELINT sensors. The Plymouth partnership is structured to satisfy UK sovereign-manufacture requirements under Project Corvus, which demands a 24-hour persistent Land Tactical Deep Find capability.

Common Questions
Who makes the Raybird drone used in Ukraine?
Skyeton, a Ukrainian UAV manufacturer founded in Kyiv in 2006. The company pivoted from light sport aircraft to unmanned systems after Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and has accumulated more than 350,000 combat flight hours with the Raybird platform.Source: Defence Procurement International / Army Recognition
What is Skyeton's role in Project Corvus?
Skyeton formed a joint venture called Skyeton Prevail Solutions with London-based Prevail Partners in July 2025 to bid for Project Corvus, the £156 million British Army contract to replace the Watchkeeper Mk1. They plan to produce the Raybird at a Plymouth facility.Source: FlightGlobal / Defence Procurement International
Where does Skyeton manufacture its drones?
Skyeton's primary operations are in Ukraine, where it has produced more than 1,000 aircraft. A second factory opened in Slovakia in 2024 to serve NATO markets. A Plymouth production line is planned if the company wins the UK Project Corvus contract.Source: The Air Current / Army Recognition
How many hours has the Raybird flown in combat?
More than 350,000 combat flight hours across the Raybird series, with dozens of missions carried out daily in Ukraine. The platform has been in operational service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2016.Source: Defence Express / Skyeton
Source Material
Billion-Pound Watchkeeper Failure May Be Replaced by Ukrainian RaybirdSkyeton Prevail Solutions enters fray for UK Project CorvusSkyeton, About Us