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Gilbert resident Harrison Becker tests out one of the drones he has built to provide needed humanitarian supplies to war-struck Ukrainians. (Ashlyn Robinette/GSN Contributor)

Gilbert resident Harrison Becker tests out one of the drones he has built to provide needed humanitarian supplies to war-struck Ukrainians. (Ashlyn Robinette/GSN Contributor)

Gilbert resident Harrison Becker is building drones to deliver humanitarian aid to Ukrainians in need.

Since Russia deployed its military into neighboring Ukraine, millions of Ukrainians have been displaced abroad or within the country seeking safety, according to TIME.

Widespread airstrikes continue, with homes and civilian infrastructure being targeted and destroyed, leaving thousands of people without adequate water, heat and electricity. Many are also unable to reach stores to buy basic necessities because roads and bridges are unpassable, according to the International Rescue Committee.

Shaken by Russia’s aggressive invasion of Ukraine, Becker knew he had to help.

So, he plans to build drones that can get supplies into remote, hard-to-reach locations, directly to people in need without endangering more lives or risking the supplies falling into enemy hands.

“I started seeing the news about the war and decided I wanted to help out if I could,” said Becker, president of Aerial Delivery Services, LLC.

After three years majoring in electrical engineering at Brigham Young University in Utah, Becker moved back to Arizona, where he currently runs Aerial Delivery Services. The company specializes in delivery services with drones.

Once Becker learned of the Ukraine-Russia crisis, he realized that his drones could transport humanitarian supplies in a much faster, safer way.

“The idea is, if you get as close as you can to where the delivery is needed, then you can just hook up your drone, set it up and fly it over there and then it returns,” the 27-year-old said.

Becker’s “Guardian Angel Drones” can lift up to 10 pounds of supplies at a time for a distance of two to four miles. Examples of supplies are insulin, bandages, food and water.

Finished drones will be sent to Samuel Lyles and Solomon Smith of Backroads Foundation in Kyiv, Ukraine.

The pair will use the drones to distribute humanitarian aid packages in locations that cannot be accessed by vehicles due to blown-out roads and bridges.

Backroads Foundation is a nonprofit based in Ukraine that delivers supplies and resources to communities that are typically inaccessible due to conflict and other factors.

Becker has already finished building one drone, but needs community support to complete the rest.

“I really can’t do this without the funding,” he said. “I want to build four more drones. I was hoping to have five drones total. Any help that I can get, even if people are unable to donate, if they would even just share and get the word out, I’d appreciate it.”

Becker is primarily self-funded, but needs sufficient funding to keep going. His first drone cost $3,000 to make, and the rest will cost about the same amount each.

On top of production costs are transportation costs. It will cost about $3,000 for his team to travel to Ukraine to train the pilots and ensure his drones get to the right people.

To help cover expenses, Becker launched a GoFundMe campaign. It has raised just over $1,200, with a goal of $18,000.

“As long as there’s money coming in and the war is still going, we’ll keep building drones,” he wrote.

To help Becker deliver humanitarian supplies to Ukrainians, donate to his GoFundMe page: gofund.me/cdefc500.