Killer Robots: Ukraine Automates Its Drones With AI
- 3.01.2025, 10:54
- 2,732
They have become an effective means of fighting against massive Russian ground attacks.
In 2024, high-speed, maneuverable drones the size of a dinner plate became a key weapon of Ukrainian defence. They have become an effective means of fighting against massive Russian ground attacks, writes The Wall Street Journal.
.
In 2025, killer robots are expected to appear on the battlefield, where computers increasingly replace humans in flying and targeting. Such automation can help Ukraine more effectively counter a much larger enemy, even if Western partners reduce arms supplies.
However, the main focus remains on maintaining human control.
“We have been trying to create autonomous cars for years, but we still have drivers,” says Andriy Zvirko, chief strategy officer at Sine.Engineering, a company that develops drone technologies.
Ukrainian companies are introducing gradual innovations aimed at making drones easier to control. This approach reduces the skill level required for an operator while increasing efficiency. A similar principle has long been used in other industries, such as aviation, automotive, and e-commerce.
Ukraine is using a ten-level system for the gradual introduction of drone automation. Already, models are in use that can autonomously target using computer vision. Max Makarchuk, head of AI at Brave1, says:
“We are moving gradually, adapting technologies for mass production only after their practical usefulness has been confirmed.”
In 2024, Ukraine produced more than a million small drones, which have become a key tool on the front lines. Most of them are FPV drones, controlled by operators wearing glasses that transmit a video signal. Such devices can deliver explosives up to 20 km away and hit a target.
However, the main obstacles remain Russian electronic warfare systems that suppress control signals and prevent drones from being guided. Ukrainian startups such as Sine are working on solutions to these problems. For example, the company has developed a module that automatically avoids interference using multi-frequency communication channels.
Another Sine development is a navigation system that allows for precise location of drones even in the absence of GPS. Thanks to this, pilots can operate in conditions of active electronic interference.
The advanced technologies implemented by Sine and other companies help reduce the level of training required for drone operators and also increase the effectiveness of combat operations. At the same time, the integration of homing systems allows one operator to control several drones at once, which significantly simplifies the control process. Andrey Chulik, co-founder of Sine, says:
“Everything we do here is aimed at reducing the qualification requirements for users.”
Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims
You can contact us by the e-mail charter97@gmail.com
