Russia Builds World’s Largest Drone Factory Spanning 790 Hectares

Satellite imagery has revealed a major expansion of Russia’s drone manufacturing complex in the Alabuga special economic zone, now set to become the world’s largest facility of its kind. The site, which covers 790 hectares, is the primary production hub for long-range Shahed drones, according to recent data and satellite photos cited by The Telegraph.

Over the past year, Moscow has added roughly 340 hectares to the Alabuga zone, the images show. New hangars have been erected in the northern sector, while production facilities and residential complexes in the center have been enlarged. A separate construction site spanning 450 hectares has also been established to the south, linked to the main complex by a newly built road, though its purpose remains undisclosed.

Production Goals and Workforce

The factory produces Shahed drones, which cost between £15,000 and £50,000 each, and employs workers including teenagers. Military estimates cited in the report indicate Russia aims to double its output of “suicide drones” to approximately 1,000 units per day.

Moscow has begun shipping drone components to Iran across the Caspian Sea, according to US officials quoted by media reports. This maritime route has historically been used for military transfers between the two countries, and the shipments are intended to help rebuild Iran’s military capabilities during the current ceasefire. Israel previously targeted Iran’s Bandar Anzali port during the war to disrupt shipments linked to Shahed drones and artillery ammunition.

Military Cooperation and Technology Transfers

Russia has offered to supply Iran with up to 5,000 short-range drones that are resistant to jamming, along with long-range drones equipped with satellites, plus military training for their operation. Moscow has also transferred technologies to improve the Shahed design, including enhancements to communications, navigation, and targeting systems.

Western sources indicate Russia has provided Iran with intelligence on the positions and movements of US forces, ships, and aircraft in the region. Observers view this military cooperation as a move to strengthen coordination between Moscow and Tehran amid the war, potentially prolonging the conflict in the Middle East while benefiting Russia in the oil market and diverting international attention from Ukraine.

Operational Use and Ukrainian Response

Russia began using Iranian-designed Shahed drones against Ukraine in 2022, before shifting to domestic production of the Geran-2 variant starting in July 2023. The vast majority of these drones are now manufactured at the Alabuga plant. Moscow has also refined the drone design using battlefield experience from Ukraine, improving electronic warfare resistance, speed, and developing new offensive capabilities.

In April, Russia launched a record 6,600 long-range drones—including Shahed, Gerbera, and Italmas models—against Ukraine, of which Ukrainian defenses intercepted roughly 90%. Ukraine continues to target the Alabuga facility; as of February, at least 19 air defense towers had been built around it, believed to be equipped with Pantsir systems, surface-to-air missiles, and heavy machine guns.