Korea's cardboard drones address UAV shortages and climate crisis — inspired by the Ukraine war, drone inventor looked for the most easily sourced and repairable materials

A South Korean firm, WOW Future Tech, introduced the AirSense UAV drone made from eco-friendly packaging boards and paper fiber at the Boom-Up Festival 2025. Inspired by the Ukraine war, the CEO aimed to address drone shortages using easily sourced and repairable materials. The cardboard drones are cost-effective to manufacture at around $1,400, offering sustainability benefits over carbon fiber drones. The drones are also easily repairable with tape or layered paper products, making them quick to deploy. The non-military use cases of the cardboard drone have attracted interest from the Korean Defense Ministry and Ground Operations Command.