War in Ukraine is sapping Russia’s supply of commercial drones

In what represents yet another unexpected consequence of a war Moscow incorrectly believed would be a quick walk in the park, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is provoking the depletion of the nation’s supply of commercial drones, and sparking a correspondingly steep rise in prices for those that remain.

According to a report today in the business daily Kommersant, consumer and enterprise retailers in Russia say reserves of commercial drones have dwindled amid mass purchases of UAVs being sent to Russian troops and their allies in Ukraine. Aggravating the supply and demand imbalance was the April decision by DJI – whose craft typically make up 90% of all sales in Russia – to halt business in both countries following controversy over how its products were reportedly being used by combatants.

Read: Bird-flipping Russian soldier ‘fingered’ by Ukraine drone 

The upshot, say Russian dealers, is that prices for commercial drones have at least…