Ukraine and Canada have signed a government-to-government arrangement to manufacture Ukrainian reconnaissance drones on Canadian soil, with the finished aircraft bound for Ukraine's Defense Forces, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense announced on 29 May 2026.
The agreement establishes a new 50-50 joint venture, Airlogix-Sentinel, pairing Ukrainian defense-tech company Airlogix with Sentinel Research and Development, a Hamilton-based manufacturer of uncrewed aerial systems. Defense officials from both countries signed the arrangement at CANSEC, Canada's premier defense and emerging-technology event, held this week in Ottawa. Minister of National Defence David J. McGuinty co-signed alongside his Ukrainian counterparts.
Combat-tested designs, Canadian airframes
Under the deal, Sentinel will be subcontracted to build airframes for the drones, drawing on an intellectual-property licensing agreement with Airlogix that remains subject to export controls. Sentinel's flagship product is the Rekam, a multi-role fixed-wing system, alongside a vertical-takeoff Rekam Ascent and a jet-powered Rekam Echo. Neither Kyiv nor Ottawa has specified which systems will be produced in Canada, and the number of drones and the delivery timeline have not been determined.
Airlogix chief commercial officer Dmytro Piatrin told reporters the goal is to deliver effective systems to Ukraine's army as quickly as possible. The Ministry of Defense framed the project as a way to accelerate the supply of reconnaissance and operation-planning equipment to front-line units in Russia's war on Ukraine.
Rooted in Carney's drone pledge
The venture grows out of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's August 2025 commitment to invest in drones, counter-drone capabilities, and electronic warfare, including through partnerships between Canadian and Ukrainian industry. It was structured through the Department of National Defence's Directorate of Military Assistance Coordination, which began working with Sentinel after Canada signed a letter of intent with Ukraine in August 2025 to finance joint production of military equipment in Canada.l
The deal also reflects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "Build with Ukraine" initiative, launched in June 2025 to help diversify the country's supply chain. "Canada is proud to deepen its defence partnership with Ukraine," McGuinty said.
Part of a widening Canadian commitment
Ottawa says it has provided more than C$25 billion in military and non-military assistance to Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, with some C$2 billion in military assistance planned for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Earlier in May, Carney announced an additional $200 million for weapons procurement channeled through the multinational Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List program.
