On the outskirts of Kiev, a soldier puts on a pair of goggles.

Welcome to the open TX.

She's part of a unit testing the.

Latest batch of drones that have just arrived.

Some work, some don't. But this is the place to find out. Before they're delivered to Ukrainian troops on.

The eastern and southern fronts.

Some of these drones are from civilians. Produced in homes on kitchen tables, they can be used for reconnaissance or assault missions.

Drones have become a critical component of.

This war and are absolutely essential to.

Every single Ukrainian unit on the front line. And while civilians are working with private.

Companies and the military to produce as.

Many drones as possible, these soldiers say.

There are not nearly enough.

As Russia's full scale invasion approaches a second year, there is now a critical shortage of drones.

China's decision to shut down exports of.

Parts, citing national security concerns, is part of the problem. However, the biggest issue is Russian electronic warfare. A Ukrainian official tells CNN the military uses roughly 30 to 40,000 drones per month. They're cheap and expendable, but soldiers on the ground say they need at least ten times more. A grassroots army of civilians are heeding the call, including Vera and Alexander, encouraging.

Others to do the same.

Their operation has taken over their one bedroom apartment. He makes drone parts with his 3D printer while she creates camouflage dressings for soldiers helmets, their work acknowledged by grateful.

Troops in Bakmut, who sent them Ukraine's.

Coat of arms made of bullets.

Instead of getting married and having a wedding, we spent that money to start making drones. Now we are happy without gold rings. But with the drones, companies like Victory.

Drones are training up civilians online to help build these little birds to then.

Distribute to the military.

If you attach the payload to the bottom, if you attach the battery on top, you have a perfect shell, which is a guided missile.

Volunteer.

And soldier Ganadi says to compete with Russia's industrial output, ukraine must innovate or there will be no future.

He's already lost his best friend, seen here in this video, singing lullabies to their children. He knows too well the painful price of this.

When I'm saying innovator die, I see eyes of people from my unit I lost already. And obviously we have to win this war, because otherwise their sacrifice was fruitless.

Even the next generation is getting involved.

The military has begun training school kids.

Some as young as first grade.

My name is Sophia. I'm six years old. I like flying drones and protecting the country.

And there are even plans to make this part of the nation's education system. Anna Corrin, CNN.