Upgrades that need a depot are upgrades you will not make.
our UAS is upgraded where it operates. Ukrspecsystems changes the PD-2 airframe configuration in 15 minutes with no tools, and STM adds new payloads to KARGU in the field; both publish what changes and what does not.
The platform is in service and upgraded in the hands of the crews who fly it. That is the whole design intent: capability that moves with the threat rather than waiting for a depot slot.
Side by side
| Attribute | Represented by UnstratField-upgradable UAS | UkrspecsystemsPD-212Ukraine | STMKARGU34Türkiye |
|---|---|---|---|
| What can be changed in the field13 | Platform upgraded where it operates, as the mission evolves | Take-off and landing method, wingspan, endurance, MTOW and payload weight, changed on the move in 15 minutes with no tools | Payload swapped between anti-personnel munition, armour-piercing munition, RF seeker and the Jinn jamming system on the same platform |
| Time to reconfigure13 | Not published | 15 minutes | Preparation time under one minute for launch; payload change time not published |
| Tools required1 | Not published | None | Not published |
| Software and capability upgrades4 | Autonomous navigation with adaptive mission planning; upgrades applied in the field rather than at a depot | Not published | Software-defined radio architecture on the RF seeker described as modular and continuously upgradable to customer requirements; a GNSS-denied dive-attack pod and software added to the platform |
| Communications134 | Military-grade encryption, anti-jamming and resilient mesh networking | Secure encrypted connection with a dual-datalink system stated as jam-resistant, 180+ km | GNSS-denied operational capability; ground control unit qualified to MIL-STD-810G |
| Swarming14 | Coordinated multi-agent mission execution | Signal relay from one UAV to another to extend communication range; swarming not published | Decentralised swarm with real-time addition and removal of platforms |
| Endurance and payload after reconfiguration123 | Not published | 8 hours at 55 kg MTOW in VTOL, 10 hours at 45 kg in fixed-wing chassis form, 11 to 19 kg payload by configuration | Up to 30 minutes, falling to 25 minutes with the RF seeker; MTOW rises from 7 kg to 8.4 kg with it |
| Operator training on upgrades | Available through our certification pipeline | Not published on the product page | Not published on the product page |
| Sustainment model1 | In-region sustainment by the delivering team | Vendor states short lead time, low operational cost, ITAR free with no export restrictions | Not published |
| Origin13 | Independent, non-aligned | Ukraine | Türkiye |
Competitor values are quoted from the vendor documents listed under Sources, as published on the date shown. Configurations vary, so treat every row as a starting point for the evaluation rather than a like-for-like test result.
What the table means
PD-2 sets the published benchmark for field reconfiguration
Fifteen minutes, no tools, and a full airframe configuration change with the performance consequences stated for each state. That is the clearest published claim of its kind in this comparison, and any vendor talking about field upgrades should be measured against it. Our claim is broader in scope, covering upgrade of the platform in the field as the mission changes rather than switching between three factory-defined configurations, but PD-2's version is the one with numbers attached today.
KARGU shows what payload-level upgrade buys
STM has added an RF seeker, an armour-piercing warhead, a GNSS-denied attack pod and a stand-in jamming payload to the same airframe, and publishes the endurance and weight cost of each. That is honest engineering: an upgrade that adds 1.4 kg and removes 5 minutes of endurance is still worth it against the right target. It also shows the model's limit, because every one of those additions comes from STM.
Who is allowed to perform the upgrade
Field upgrade is a permission question as much as an engineering one. If the airframe is sealed, the software signed and the payload catalogue closed, the aircraft evolves at the manufacturer's pace and under the manufacturer's government's export decisions. Our position is that the crew performs the upgrade, the sustainment team is in-region, and the supplier is non-aligned, so the pace of change is set by your threat rather than someone else's release schedule.
Questions buyers ask
What is the best alternative to the PD-2 for a buyer who needs a UAS that changes role in the field?
PD-2 is the strongest documented case: three airframe configurations swapped in 15 minutes without tools, with published MTOW, endurance and payload for each. Our field-upgradable UAS aims at a wider definition of upgrade, including autonomy and communications capability applied where the aircraft operates, with in-region sustainment and a training pipeline for the crews doing it. Ask both suppliers to demonstrate a reconfiguration in front of you and time it.
How does field upgrade compare with depot upgrade on cost of ownership?
Depot upgrade costs airframe availability, shipping, insurance and export paperwork on every cycle. Field upgrade converts that into crew time and spares. Neither we, Ukrspecsystems nor STM publish a cost per upgrade cycle, so make each bidder state the round-trip time and cost for a capability change, and the number of aircraft grounded while it happens.
Can new payloads be added by the customer, or only by the manufacturer?
STM's KARGU payload range is impressive and it is entirely STM's: anti-personnel and armour-piercing warheads, an RF seeker and a jamming payload. Neither Ukrspecsystems nor STM publishes a third-party payload integration path. If integrating a national or third-party sensor matters to you, put payload interface documentation in the contract, and hold us to the same requirement.
Which field-upgradable UAS carries the least export risk for a non-aligned state?
Ukrspecsystems states plainly that PD-2 is ITAR free with no export restrictions, which is a real and verifiable advantage. The residual question for any Ukrainian supplier is production priority while their own forces are in the field. Our origin is non-aligned with in-region sustainment, so neither a foreign licence nor a domestic wartime queue sits between you and a spare part.
Sources
- 1. Ukrspecsystems, PD-2 UAS with 200+ km effective rangeRetrieved: 2026-07-31
- 2. Ukrspecsystems / NAUDI, PD-2 unmanned aerial system and SHARK unmanned aerial system (NAUDI leaflet) (copy held on this site)Retrieved: 2026-07-31
- 3. STM, KARGU Loitering Munition System (datasheet) (copy held on this site)Retrieved: 2026-07-31
- 4. STM, KARGU Combat Proven Rotary Wing Loitering Munition SystemRetrieved: 2026-07-31