On a large, cluttered table, the large X-shaped frame of a drone sits, surrounded by heaps of plastic propellers and bags of tiny screws.

It should be flying soon, loaded with an anti-tank grenade the size of a wine bottle and capable of piercing Russian armor.

Two other craft have already been fitted with miniature propellers and bomb bays to attack Russian infantry and assist Ukrainian defenders in the north and east of the country.

Another, the size of a bird of prey and shaped like a stealth bomber, will be used by artillery for reconnaissance missions, spotting and marking targets to be hit.

Members of the Ukrainian collective "Heavenly Punishment" work on the manufacture of a drone intended to locate the positions of the Russian artillery, in Lviv, April 1, 2022 Aleksey Filippov AFP

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the collective Nebesna Kara ("Heavenly Punishment") has already manufactured about forty drones of this type for the Ukrainian army.

Before the war, its six members were friends who frequented the racing drone community.

"Unfortunately everything has changed," says Alex, one of the six, who prefers to keep his last name secret for security reasons.

- "Strong demand"-

Experts believe that the Ukrainian forces are short of men and weapons compared to their Russian counterparts.

But their stubborn defense, based on their knowledge of the terrain, their lightning attacks and the use of technological sabotage, work wonders.

A drone made by the Ukrainian collective "Heavenly Punishment", and intended to attack a Russian tank, in Lviv, April 1, 2022 Aleksey Filippov AFP

At the start of the invasion, the capital kyiv seemed in great danger of falling into the hands of the gigantic column of Russian tanks (65 km) advancing from the north of the country.

Mobile teams armed with drones would have played a key role in countering this offensive by spotting targets for air strikes, forcing the convoy to disperse.

"It's a technique for recognizing and adjusting artillery fire," explains another member of the collective, Dmitriï, who also prefers to remain anonymous.

"Now there is a strong demand for these subversive equipment," he said.

The collective, which also works with the help of 10 “advisory members” and can count on the knowledge of 877 enthusiasts via online messaging, receives orders from military specialists in conflict zones.

Their flying Dr. Frankenstein-worthy creations are assembled from over-the-counter scale models, parts made with a 3D printer, and components sourced from a Chinese online retailer.

The parts are spread out on a workbench from one end of the room to the other, printed circuits, balls of electric wires and bulb-shaped electric motors.

- "Good kisses" -

The Ukrainian army has appealed enormously for donations to help it in the defense of the country.

Foreign countries have sent large amounts of "lethal aid" to him and citizens have been enlisted for financial aid.

A stealth aircraft-shaped drone made by the Ukrainian amateur collective "Heavenly Punishment", in Lviv on April 1, 2022, to scout Russian positions Aleksey Filippov AFP

According to Alex, the miniature drone program works in a similar way.

The specialists tell them how to operate the drone and they take care of making it to measure thanks to crowdfunding.

On his phone, Dmitrii shows a video filmed from a drone, which zooms along a Russian trench and reveals the positions of weapons hidden in the disturbed earth.

"If you have a pilot used to operating this kind of machine, he can pass over the trench and in five minutes he will have all the information he needs", notes Alex.

“An iPhone costs more than this kind of equipment,” he points out.

In a corner of the workshop, packages containing drones and spare parts are stored.

One is to leave for Mykolaiv, where a missile fell on a regional administration building on Tuesday, killing around 30 people.

Ready for dispatch, it comes with a note written in red and blue marker, intended for the Ukrainian pilot, but possibly also for the Russian forces massed outside the city.

“Kisses from Nebesna Kara,” the note said.

© 2022 AFP