The aircraft will support large-scale flight training for conscripts across every Finnish Army brigade-level unit. FPV drones transmit live video to their operators and can carry payloads selected for specific missions.
“Domestic drone production strengthens security of supply and supports the operational readiness of the Finnish Defence Forces,” said Juha-Matti Ylitalo, Deputy Director of the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command and Brigadier General (Eng.). The procurement gives Finland a domestic source for the aircraft and the technical support required to operate them.
Insta currently produces 7-inch and 10-inch variants designed for Nordic operating conditions. Both are developed, tested and manufactured in Finland, while their modular architecture allows payloads and other elements to be adapted as requirements change.
The agreement covers more than the supply of airframes. Insta’s system combines the drones with control equipment, secure communications, situational-awareness functions, training, maintenance and sustainment.
“The modern operating environment requires reliable, scalable solutions that can be adapted rapidly, supported by strong expertise in technology and systems development,” said Tuure Lehtoranta, Senior Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Government Relations at Insta. “The development work has also drawn on international lessons learned from the evolving security environment and the use of drones on the modern battlefield.”
Insta’s work on the programme draws on its experience in unmanned aviation, secure data links and defence systems development. The company has been a strategic partner of the Finnish Defence Forces for several decades and also supplies command-and-control, cyber security and autonomous-system technologies.
