TechEx builds swappable drones for Ukraine’s fast-changing battlefield

By Daniel Okafor

TechEx drone products change weekly, according to Oleg, who said: “within three months, it will be outdated and nobody will use it” without further changes. Business Insider reported that Ukrainian troops increasingly want aircraft they can repair, alter and combine close to the front, making repair speed and field adaptability central design requirements.

Business Insider reported that TechEx, a Ukrainian drone maker, designs interchangeable components around that demand. Troops can mix parts from several aircraft, change payloads for different missions and build configurations that the company does not sell.

How do interchangeable parts work?

TechEx representatives Olha and Oleg asked to be identified only by their first names for security reasons. Olha said: “Sometimes it comes to that,” referring to troops creating what amounts to a new drone from mixed parts.

Oleg described a more routine problem: one aircraft has a failed component, while a second model carries a usable replacement. “You can replace them with a pretty simple guidance from our technical teams,” he said.

He set the commercial priority: “We want to keep the product as cheap as possible and as easy as possible both to assemble and to operate with.” He added: “So you want all the parts to be interchangeable.”

TechEx says its designs carry interchangeable parts across the drone range. Troops can draw components from multiple aircraft, swap payloads for missions and maintain one aircraft with another model’s serviceable part.

For TechEx, modularity solves two problems at once: a failed component can be replaced with another model’s part, while supply shortages can be managed without redesigning the entire drone range.

Business Insider reported that manufacturers are responding with quick-release batteries and modular designs. These features let soldiers swap weaponry faster, spend less time in dangerous positions and keep drones and robots operating longer.

David Roberts, CEO of ARX Robotics UK, said some of its robots in Ukraine let soldiers swap parts in “literally seconds.” ARX Robotics UK is the British arm of the German defense technology company ARX Robotics. Those robots can switch from logistics to communications or add casualty-evacuation equipment.

Why do troops want universal systems?

Business Insider reported that Ukraine is working to make its equipment work together, driving demand for universal and interchangeable parts. Oleksandr Yabchanka, head of robotic systems for Ukraine’s Da Vinci Wolves Battalion, said his unit assembles robots differently for each mission.

The setups work “like Lego sets,” Yabchanka said, rather than relying on a specialized robot for every mission. He stated: “We are moving toward universalization and interoperability.”

Yabchanka clarified: “This does not mean there should be a single 'all-purpose' robot for every scenario.” He continued: “Rather, the goal is for platforms to be capable of performing various tasks, and for modules to be compatible with different types of platforms.”

Business Insider reported that Ukraine’s military and industry encourage experimentation as battlefield needs change, because soldiers test equipment in live conditions and manufacturers incorporate the resulting innovations into later designs.

Oleg said troops have also surprised TechEx by loading its drones with substantial explosive weight. Oleg said TechEx relies on constant testing and feedback from soldiers and units, which drives weekly product changes.

TechEx also builds custom aircraft for units. A request may call for three cameras or another feature, and TechEx can deliver the modified drone without putting that version into mass production.

How does modularity support wartime production?

Olha said interchangeable components give TechEx flexibility when defective parts, shortages or export restrictions disrupt supply chains. TechEx says modularity also shortens upgrade cycles because a new module can improve an existing aircraft without a full redesign.

Olha said: “There's no single point of failure” in the system. TechEx diversifies its supply chain to prevent one dependency from becoming a vulnerability.

That architecture matters because TechEx must sustain and expand output while Russian attacks threaten factories and wartime restrictions disrupt components, forcing the company to change production methods and add precautions.

Oleg described the threat as constant: “Each and every day or week, we are facing another level of threats” from Russia trying to hit the factories. TechEx relocates operations every few months, according to Oleg.

Oleg said outsiders often ask how the company produces at scale under those conditions. His answer was blunt: “we have no other choice.”

Western officials told Business Insider that Ukraine has shown an ability to build quickly and cheaply while innovating rapidly, offering NATO lessons. TechEx’s modular production model turns battlefield feedback into a continuous design cycle.

TechEx’s strategy depends on keeping its weekly product cycle alive while production moves under threat. Interchangeable modules now carry more weight as the company scales and relocates.