ULTRA is the heavy-lift, long-range drone developed by British company Windracers and used by Ukrainian forces for more than three years. Built as a modular platform, ULTRA can carry substantial payloads and deliver them precisely to designated locations.
In its base configuration, ULTRA transports over 150 kg across distances exceeding 1,000 km, supporting special operations, intelligence tasks, and frontline resupply. The company is already working with Ukrainian partners and exploring additional cooperation to expand its presence in the country.
Ahead of the “UK–Ukraine: A 100-Year Partnership” forum, Militarnyi spoke with Mark Farrell, Windracers’ Sales Defence Director, about ULTRA’s operational use in Ukraine and how user feedback has shaped its evolution.
Farrell said Windracers has supported Ukrainian frontline units since 2022. ULTRA was designed for resilience and multi-mission use in hazardous environments where conventional access is difficult. The aircraft offers more than 10 hours of endurance, a service ceiling above 4,000 meters, short take-off and landing capability, and rapid tactical deployment in day, night, or poor visibility. Recent upgrades allow configuration for up to 2,000 km range with increased payload.
Regular feedback from Ukrainian operators has driven improvements, particularly for GPS-denied and communications-challenged environments. While Farrell declined to name specific units for security reasons, he confirmed ULTRA is in active service, delivering supplies autonomously between waypoints without exposing personnel to risk. The aircraft returns after missions, making it reusable in situations where ground resupply is dangerous or slow.
Despite growing reliance on ground robots due to complex airspace and interceptor threats, Windracers continues to enhance ULTRA’s resilience, range, payload options, and communications. The company maintains a team in Ukraine and is seeking partnerships with local maintenance and technology firms.
Beyond Ukraine, ULTRA serves civilian research missions in Antarctica, the Arctic, and Alaska, demonstrating reliable autonomous operation in extreme climates. Its open architecture allows customers to integrate sensors, radios, radars, or other payloads as needed, often within weeks. Windracers also provides a standardized training program, typically completed in about three weeks, to prepare operators and maintainers for rapid deployment.
Source: MILITARNYI