The Japanese company Terra Drone is scaling up production of the Ukrainian Terra A1 and Terra A2 interceptor drones and also plans to invest in jet drones.
Terra Drone CEO Toru Tokushige announced this during a presentation attended by Militarnyi’s correspondents.
In Ukraine, these drones are manufactured by Amazing Drones, which has already signed an agreement to attract Japanese investment.
At the same time, Japanese investors are also in talks with other Ukrainian companies.
“Ukraine has its advantages: development speed and low cost. But there are also challenges—a lack of experience in mass production and operating in global markets, as well as a shortage of key technologies. Many processes are still performed manually, which complicates scaling, especially outside the country. Therefore, the development of autonomous systems is critically important, and this is exactly what is expected of us,” Tokushige noted.
The Terra A1 interceptor drone has become the flagship of Amazing Drones:
- maximum speed — 280 km/h;
- flight time — 15 min;
- maximum range — 18 km;
- payload capacity — 500 g;
- launch method — VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing).
“One of our A1 drones has already successfully intercepted a Shahed. This is critically important since in the military field, what matters most is not certifications but combat-proven effectiveness. Without this, it’s impossible to sell,” Terra Drone noted.
Japanese investors are also interested in the Terra A2 fixed-wing interceptor, which was already demonstrated during the presentation.
“It’s impossible to defend yourself with just one type of system. You need different ranges: short, medium, and long-range, as well as different speeds. Our A1 is a single level, and the new A2 is the mid-range. There is another type under development—also with a fixed wing,” Tokushige explained.
Fixed-wing drones have twice the range and flight duration, making them critically important for strengthening defense.
Terra A2 specifications:
- maximum speed — 310 km/h;
- flight time — 40 min;
- maximum range — 75 km;
- altitude — 5 km
- payload capacity — 750 g;
- launch method — catapult.
“Our Terra A2 drone can fly for about 40 minutes, patrol the area, and immediately intercept targets. After that, the next drone is launched, allowing us to close gaps in the defense. Additionally, there are very few companies working with fixed-wing drones, which gives us a competitive advantage,” Tokusige added.
The next step should be an investment in jet drones.
“Ukraine is already developing relevant solutions—jet drones or low-cost missiles. Development is happening not over 10–20 years, as in the traditional defense industry, but literally in six months. That’s why startups are critically important here,” he noted.
The presentation also revealed the specifications of a potential jet drone:
- maximum speed — 440 km/h;
- flight time — 20 min;
- maximum range — 140 km;
- payload capacity — up to 3.5 kg;
- launch method — catapult.
Terra Drone aims to integrate artificial intelligence into its designs, enabling drones to autonomously target and engage targets.
The Japanese corporation also plans to bring Ukrainian drones to the international market and secure its first contracts, enabling further scaling up of production. Terra Drone is already participating in Japanese tenders.
“There are no specific financial figures yet, but the potential is hundreds of millions of dollars in the defense segment alone,” Tokushige concluded.