Key Developments
On 25 August 2026, the Finnish Defence Forces said it had signed a contract with Insta Group Oy for domestically produced FPV drones, adding training, spare parts and maintenance support to a long-term programme intended to expand unmanned systems training across brigade-level units.
Key Statistics
- Historical: €4.8 million government grant for an Oulu 5G/6G security and resilience project, according to the Finnish Government
- Historical: 5 major drivers of change identified in Finland's future defence operating-environment study, according to the Finnish Defence Forces
- Historical: 2 future scenarios examined in the same strategic foresight work, according to the Finnish Defence Forces
Main Body
On 25 August 2026, the Finnish Defence Forces announced that it had signed a procurement contract with Insta Group Oy for domestically produced first-person-view drones. The force said the systems were part of a long-term effort to develop drone capabilities, would be used for training, and could be configured to carry armament.
The Finnish Defence Forces said the contract also covered instruction, spare parts and maintenance services. It said training with the systems began in 2025 and would expand in 2026 across brigade-level units, giving regular formations structured exposure to unmanned systems and their support requirements.
The procurement followed other Finnish measures to strengthen defence technology and preparedness. On 14 August 2026, the Finnish Government said Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen had approved a €4.8 million grant for a University of Oulu-led 5G/6G project aimed at security of supply and self-sufficiency. On 18 August 2026, the Finnish Defence Forces said its foresight work identified five drivers of change and two scenarios affecting future defence planning.
The practical significance was that Finland paired domestic drone acquisition with training and sustainment, rather than treating FPV systems as standalone equipment, according to the Finnish Defence Forces. The step also aligned with Finland's wider emphasis on resilience, industrial capacity and allied cooperation, including the military cooperation discussed during Poland's Chief of Defence visit to Finland on 20 August 2026, according to the Finnish Defence Forces.
