Addis Ababa, October 15, 2025 (FMC) – SkyWin Aeronautics Industry, Ethiopia’s pioneering UAV manufacturer, has taken a major step in advancing domestic drone technology through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on Tuesday with several key national institutions.
The MOU was signed between SkyWin Aeronautics Industry, Ethiopian Airlines, the Ethiopian Air Force, the Defense Engineering Industry Group, Addis Ababa University, and the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute (EAII). The agreement aims to expand the production of locally manufactured drones and foster research, development, and practical applications in the sector.
Deputy Director General of the Information Network Security Administration (INSA), Sisay Tola, emphasized the strategic importance of developing homegrown drone technology to safeguard national interests and leverage Ethiopia’s economic and security advantages in today’s era of advanced technology.
Since its inauguration by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on March 8, 2025, SkyWin Aeronautics Industry has steadily produced drones serving civil, security, information dissemination, and military purposes. Sisay highlighted the rapid evolution of drone technology and its growing role in national security, economic development, and preparedness for potential future threats.
The MoU establishes a collaborative framework among the five institutions to strengthen Ethiopia’s domestic drone capabilities and ensure competitiveness in the sector. Under the agreement, SkyWin will integrate smart sensors and artificial intelligence management systems; utilize research outputs and skilled manpower from universities; incorporate combat drone expertise from the Defense Engineering Industry; leverage aviation experience from Ethiopian Airlines; and provide practical training through the Ethiopian Air Force.
Following the signing, officials visited SkyWin Aeronautics Industry and reviewed its operations. Addis Ababa University President Samuel Kifle (PhD) praised the company’s commitment to technology transfer and collaborative innovation, emphasizing the value of combining knowledge, resources, and expertise from multiple institutions to enhance efficiency. He reaffirmed the university’s readiness to support SkyWin in research, development, and workforce training.
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew highlighted the airline’s contribution of aviation expertise and noted the potential for future applications of domestically produced drones. Meanwhile, Getachew Hailemariam, CEO of the Defense Engineering Industry Group, pointed to the growing global role of drone technology in protecting sovereignty and underscored the importance of leveraging this technology to strengthen Ethiopia’s national defense capabilities.
SkyWin Aeronautics Industry, which began with small- and medium-sized drones, now envisions producing large, strategically significant drones for the global market by 2030. The company has previously established partnerships with national institutions to further develop its research, development, and production capacities.