Chinese suppliers have sharply raised prices for the optical fiber used to control modern FPV strike drones, putting unexpected pressure on Ukrainian manufacturers. Signals of significant price hikes began arriving from China in early 2026, according to an analysis by Oboronka.
Prices have jumped severalfold in a matter of months. Yevhen Sukhynin, founder of Ptashka Drones, said the cost of a kilometer of “glass thread” rose from about $5 under an existing contract, with the supplier later seeking roughly an additional $20 per kilometer. Overall, optical fiber prices have climbed three to six times over the past two months and are still rising.
Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency points to multiple drivers: wartime demand for drones and their inputs; a global construction boom in AI-focused data centers that also require vast amounts of fiber-optic cable; and a limited pool of manufacturers, primarily in China, the United States and several countries in Asia and Europe. The result is fierce competition for raw materials.
The most sought-after grade remains G.657.A2 - bend-insensitive fiber that maintains signal integrity, a crucial feature for cable-guided combat drones. But the spike in fiber costs now makes the spool a major share of a drone’s total price; a year ago, the spool and the airframe cost were roughly comparable.
How Ukraine is coping: Deliveries to the front continue without interruption thanks to stockpiles built up in late 2025. Still, experts warn that if the trend persists, small and mid-sized producers could be hit hardest. Potential fixes include diversifying suppliers, developing domestic component production, and creating state reserves of optical fiber as a strategic resource.
