The American subsidiary of Ukrainian manufacturer Skyeton has received a contract to supply Raybird drones and related services to the US Army.

Skyeton, Inc. has received a contract worth $10.64 million to supply Raybird reconnaissance drones and related services to the US Army. Information about the contract was published by the US Department of Defense in its daily contract announcements dated September 18, 2026.

The contracting authority is the Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, contract number W58RGZ-26-F-A026. The place of performance and funding will be determined with each individual order. The estimated completion date is December 15, 2026. Skyeton Inc. was the sole participant: its proposal was the only one submitted in response to the Pentagon’s solicitation.

The agency did not disclose the number of systems, the recipient unit, the sensor suite, or the purpose of the procurement — whether it is for evaluation, training, or full fielding. 

The Raybird (ACS-3) is a fixed-wing tactical UAV designed for long-endurance reconnaissance, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been using since 2018. Key specifications of the internal combustion engine version:

  • flight endurance — over 28 hours;
  • range — over 2,500 km;
  • service ceiling — 5,500 m;
  • communication radius — over 220 km, and unlimited with SATCOM;
  • system deployment — up to 25 minutes;
  • operating temperatures — from –35 to +55 °C.

The drone is launched via catapult and recovered by parachute. Payload options include multi-sensor stabilized EO/IR cameras, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), a signals intelligence system, and other specialized sensors. In addition, satellite communications were integrated into the drone in February, enabling reconnaissance at greater distances.

According to the manufacturer, Raybird systems have logged over 350,000 combat flight hours since the start of the full-scale invasion.

In late July 2026, it was reported that Skyeton, Inc. will build a factory in North Carolina. The company is investing over $3.1 million in the renovation of a former Black+Decker facility spanning over 2,600 m² near Fayetteville Airport. The project is expected to create 162 jobs.

Skyeton is also expanding production in Europe. In July 2024, the company launched manufacturing in Slovakia, and in July 2025, together with UK-based Prevail Partners, it established the joint venture Skyeton Prevail Solutions to produce and integrate the Raybird for the UK and NATO markets.