Finland’s Defence Forces have signed a multi-year agreement worth €14 million with Finnish technology group Insta for domestically produced FPV drones, as the military expands drone training among conscripts.
The agreement includes options as well as training, spare parts and maintenance services. Insta said the first systems have already been delivered to the Defence Forces.
The procurement covers FPV micro-drone systems designed for training and capable of carrying mission-specific payloads. The Defence Forces plans to use the equipment to extend large-scale training with armable micro-drones across Finnish Army brigade-level units.
An FPV, or first-person view, drone transmits live video to its operator, allowing the pilot to control the aircraft through the camera feed.
The systems acquired from Insta have been tested and approved by the Finnish Defence Forces, according to the company.
Photo: Insta
Insta produces 7-inch and 10-inch FPV drones in Finland. The company said it designs, tests and manufactures the systems domestically for use in Nordic conditions.
The drones use a modular design that allows operators to fit different payloads according to the mission. The wider system includes aircraft, controls, communications, situational-awareness functions, training, maintenance and support.
“Domestic drone production strengthens security of supply and supports the operational readiness of the Finnish Defence Forces,” Juha-Matti Ylitalo, Deputy Director of the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command and Brigadier General, said in Insta’s statement.
The Finnish Army started comparable training for conscripts at the Army Academy in autumn 2025. The Defence Forces said training began expanding to other units from the start of 2026.
The latest agreement is intended to take that process across the Army.
The Defence Forces said unmanned systems have taken on a larger role in warfare in recent years and that Finland is developing their use and associated training.
Insta said its development programme has incorporated lessons from the use of drones on current battlefields and changes in the security environment.
“The modern operating environment requires reliable, scalable solutions that can be adapted rapidly, supported by strong expertise in technology and systems development,” Tuure Lehtoranta, Insta’s Senior Vice President for Sales, Marketing and Government Relations, said in the company’s statement.
Lehtoranta said Insta had also drawn on international lessons concerning drone operations and changes in military requirements.
The company has worked with Ukrainian industry on drone technology as well. Insta announced an extended-range version of its Steel Eagle drone system in January 2025, combining an unmanned aircraft with a fragmentation charge.
HT