A Norwegian company has donated a high-performance cargo drone to support Ukraine’s military efforts against Russian forces.
Griff Aviation, based in Norway, has manufactured and donated a GRIFF 60 drone to Ukraine through the volunteer group Fritt Ukraina. The company said the donation was made on its own initiative, aiming to help Ukrainian troops on the front lines.
“We believe the best way Norway can help is by giving Ukrainians tools to defend themselves. This drone can save lives,” said volunteers from Fritt Ukraina.
The GRIFF 60 is a heavy-lift cargo drone equipped with eight engines. It can carry up to 60 kilograms of cargo and fly for 33 minutes per mission. It is designed for tasks such as delivering supplies and evacuating gear from dangerous zones. The drone’s price ranges from 2 to 3 million Norwegian kroner, or around $180,000.
Griff Aviation has developed several versions of its GRIFF drones. In 2022, the company unveiled a modified GRIFF 135 model fitted with M72 EC Mk1 grenade launchers. To enable this transformation into an unmanned combat vehicle, Griff Aviation partnered with the Norwegian arms manufacturer NAMMO to design a launch system.
The M72 EC Mk1 is a lightweight, disposable, hand-held grenade launcher. Two of these weapons were mounted on the GRIFF 135, allowing it to fire 66 mm projectiles at speeds of up to 200 meters per second.
Fritt Ukraina has also worked with the Ukrainian organization Come Back Alive, joining its “Drone Fall” project to support Ukraine’s expanding drone fleet.
