The number of manufacturers of UAVs and their components in SMEs has doubled in three years

The number of Russian small and medium-sized enterprises producing unmanned aircraft systems and their components has almost doubled over the past three years. This was told to Izvestia on March 26 at the SME Corporation.

If in 2022 there were 356 such companies, by 2025 the figure reached 619. There are 889 registered enterprises in the country engaged in this sector, including large businesses. Thus, more than 70% of UAV manufacturers belong to small and medium-sized enterprises.

The industry's revenues are showing steady growth: in 2023, revenue amounted to 45 billion rubles, and by the end of 2024 it is expected to exceed 50 billion rubles. The sector employs about 7.2 thousand people.

The main production facilities are concentrated in the central and Volga regions, among which Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and Tatarstan are the leaders.

"The most popular small business soft loan program will remain in place"

Deputy Minister of Economy Tatyana Ilyushnikova on the results of the national project to support SMEs, prospects for the next six years and changes for the self-employed

"The production of unmanned aircraft systems is one of the priorities for the development of the domestic industry. UAVs are necessary not only to solve government tasks at the forefront, their use significantly increases the effectiveness of monitoring large industrial facilities, forests when searching for fires or searching for people, as well as in agriculture," said Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, Chairman of the State Council Commission on Industry, Governor of the Samara Region.

According to him, over the past three years, Russia has significantly increased its competence in the development and production of drones, and this trend must be continued by creating the necessary regulatory framework and state support measures.

Experts predict further development of the industry against the background of increased demand from both law enforcement agencies and commercial enterprises.

"Since 2022, small and medium-sized businesses have been actively involved in the production of drones and their components. Moreover, it is not only about the final assembly, but also about the creation of new products and their further modernization, depending on the needs of customers. In 2024 alone, 163 new companies were created, which was a record dynamic compared to previous periods," summed up Alexander Isaevich, CEO of SME Corporation.

Earlier, on January 30, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development told Izvestia that the agency was restarting a program of preferential investment loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in priority sectors of the economy. The program will be implemented jointly with the Bank of Russia and will combine subsidies from the federal budget, as well as preferential funding from the Bank of Russia. In addition, as part of the program, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia will continue to subsidize loans issued in 2019-2024 to SMEs, as well as self-employed citizens, under the 1764 program.