MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. The number of Russian SMEs (small and medium enterprises) engaged in the production of drones has increased by 15% to 607 enterprises, the press service of the SME Corporation said.
Meanwhile the employment level has grown by almost one third - up to 10,000 people, while income by the end of 2024 amounted to 77 bln rubles ($970 mln), up from 45 bln rubles in the previous year.
"Since the beginning of 2025 alone, 51 new SMEs have been set up, with production of drones and their components being their main activity. Meanwhile we see not only quantitative but also qualitative development of the segment. Last year there were an average of 14 employees per one such company, whereas today there are already 16-17 people. This is obviously due to the constantly growing demand for products, the high adaptability of small businesses in response to new challenges, and the development of competencies in this area among Russian SMEs, which still make up more than 70% of all drone manufacturers in the country," CEO of the SME Corporation Alexander Isayevich was quoted as saying.
After Russia’s Federal Tax Service adjusted the SME register this July, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in the production of drones and their components amounted to 607 companies. Before the adjustment, there were 619 of them. That said, the total number of manufacturers of UAV systems in Russia totals 858 now, including large businesses.
"After the SME register was adjusted, the nominal reduction in the number of SMEs producing drones compared to figures for May-June only stood at 1.9%, while for the SME segment as a whole it was about 5.8%. Meanwhile if we compare it with the same period in 2024 after the registry was ‘cleaned’, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises in the UAV sector grew by around 15% over the year. To compare, the overall growth dynamics of the SME sector equals 3.3%," Isayevich added.
The existing financial instruments have also contributed to the development of UAV manufacturers among SMEs, providing access to debt financing for the production of in-demand products, boosting production volumes, and the launch of new modifications into production, he noted. Over the past three years, almost every third SME producer of drones in Russia used government support measures. In particular, during this period small and medium businesses in the UAV production sector attracted more than 1.4 bln rubles using the tools of the National Guarantee System operated by the SME Corporation.