Updated

Ars Technica reported November 10, 2026 that Ukraine's fiber-optic drone makers face sharply higher costs for Chinese optical fiber as AI data centers compete for the same limited supply. Fiber-optic drones stay connected to operators by miles of cable, which makes them resistant to radio jamming, and both sides use them. Ars reported that Russia first fielded them in 2024 against Ukrainian incursions into Kursk Oblast, and Ukraine followed. The article estimates that Ukraine and Russia together produce about 50,000 such drones a month, and the cable is effectively used up in each flight. Russia imports far more fiber than Ukraine. The Washington Post, citing Chinese customs data, reported that Russia received 328,000 miles from China in August 2025, against 72 miles for Ukraine. The Insider and Vedomosti reported that Russia bought over 37 million miles of fiber in 2025, and TrendForce projects a global shortfall of 111 million miles in 2026. BlueBird Tech, a Ukrainian manufacturer, told Ars that fiber prices rose six to 10 times between 2025 and 2026, peaking around March before stabilizing somewhat, and that its supply depends on China. Radio-controlled drones still make up the larger share of drones in use.