Ukraine to Offer Million-Hryvnia Bonuses to Drone Operators under “Contract 18–24”
On May 27, 2025, Colonel Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, announced the government’s intent to expand the “Contract 18–24” enlistment bonus program to include unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specialists. The program currently offers a ₴1,000,000 (roughly $24,000) bonus to Ukrainians aged 18–24 who enlist as infantry or assault troops in combat brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
In February 2025, the AFU formally introduced new military occupational specialties for drone-related roles. These include FPV drone operators (219), fixed-wing drone pilots (216), strike multicopter operators (218), reconnaissance and electronic warfare multicopter specialists (217), and drone maintenance technicians (240) — each playing a critical role in surveillance, targeting, and counter-EW efforts.“We are considering expanding the ‘Contract 18–24’ program to include drone-related specialties,” Palisa stated. “In my view, these should be longer contracts — likely two years — because it takes significantly more time to train and adapt drone operators than infantry.”
The announcement underscores the growing importance of drones in Ukraine’s war effort. According to Palisa, 80% of Russia’s losses in equipment and personnel are attributed to UAV operations. This shift became even more apparent during the massive Russian missile and drone assault on May 26, 2025, when 355 aerial threats were launched — a number that highlights Ukraine’s urgent need for skilled UAV crews.
In February 2025, the AFU formally introduced new military occupational specialties for drone-related roles. These include FPV drone operators (MOS 219), fixed-wing drone pilots (MOS 216), strike multicopter operators (MOS 218), reconnaissance and electronic warfare multicopter specialists (MOS 217), and drone maintenance technicians (MOS 240) — each playing a critical role in surveillance, targeting, and counter-EW efforts.
Originally created to incentivize enlistment in Ukraine’s most dangerous frontline roles, the “Contract 18–24” program also provides access to housing, medical insurance, and fast-track processing. Including UAV specialists in the program marks a critical evolution in Ukraine’s defense strategy, focusing more on technological capability than sheer numbers.
Drone training takes considerably longer than infantry preparation. Depending on the role, training spans 3–6 months and includes advanced FPV piloting, tactical deployment, and countering Russian electronic warfare systems like the Krasukha-4.
For comparison, from 2022 to 2024, the U.S. military spent $6 billion on recruitment and retention, offering up to $75,000 in enlistment bonuses for specialties like cybersecurity, nuclear engineering, and aviation maintenance.
Expanding “Contract 18–24” to drone roles poses logistical challenges — especially the need to scale up training infrastructure, hire qualified instructors, and equip specialized simulation centers. Still, it represents a major step toward building a professional corps of UAV operators under formal contract terms.
