Photo: 22nd Mechanized Brigade / posted by Ukraine’s MoD @DefenceU The pace of adaptation in drone warfare is so rapid that even the most effective technologies can be countered within months. Ukraine is currently facing several challenges, including Russian efforts to disrupt Starlink services, which are indispensable to many of its drone operations, as well […]
Menej ako 1 min.
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The pace of adaptation in drone warfare is so rapid that even the most effective technologies can be countered within months. Ukraine is currently facing several challenges, including Russian efforts to disrupt Starlink services, which are indispensable to many of its drone operations, as well as Russia’s own domestic innovation, including the growing use of AI-enabled technologies and mesh-network solutions in drones.
Foreign companies operating in Ukraine have a unique opportunity to learn from this fast adaptation cycle and bring a greater sense of urgency to the development and fielding of technologies in their own countries.
In this edition:
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Ukraine-Proven Technology Opens Doors in Europe: The Case of Dutch Company Intelic;
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Where Drone Warfare in Ukraine Stands, and Where It Is Heading;
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Why Tactical Radars Are So Important in Ukraine.
As usual, a detailed list of the major drone-related developments is available in my weekly newsletter, Ukraine Drone Brief, for VIP subscribers.
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Ukraine-Proven Technology Opens Doors in Europe: The Case of Dutch Company Intelic
In early July, the Dutch Ministry of Defence signed a strategic partnership agreement with the local company Intelic and announced an investment of more than €30 million to create an interoperability-focused software foundation for the country’s future UAV ecosystem.
It was particularly interesting for me because I know Intelic through its work in Ukraine, so it was nice to see the company’s efforts recognized in its home country.
According to the company, its presence in Ukraine became an important source of credibility and trust. Intelic’s involvement in Ukraine began after it participated in a hackathon in Kyiv in 2024, and it has maintained a local presence in the country ever since.
The ability to demonstrate that its system had been tested under combat conditions and used by Ukrainian military units provided strong evidence for the Dutch MoD that the technology was operationally relevant.
I spoke with Marc Derksen, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Intelic, to learn what insights the company has drawn from its work in Ukraine and how it plans to adapt them to European realities.
The two main Intelic innovations developed on the basis of its experience in Ukraine are NEXUS, a command-and-control software platform for drones, and Intelic BASE, a European catalogue of unmanned technologies inspired by Ukraine’s Brave1 Market.
NEXUS is a common command-and-control interface that allows operators to control drones produced by different manufacturers through a single system. “For example, a military unit may operate ten different types of reconnaissance drones, each with its own software and interface. NEXUS allows operators to control these systems through one interface, providing a consistent user experience,” Marc explained.
The software is currently used by approximately 15 Ukrainian military units. These units have already conducted more than 5,500 missions using the platform, primarily for resupply and strike operations.
NEXUS is also being integrated with Ukraine’s DELTA situational-awareness system. This allows information collected by drones to be transferred directly to DELTA and displayed on the operational map. As a result, operators do not have to manually share coordinates or other information through messaging applications such as WhatsApp or Signal.
In Ukraine, Intelic also partners with the Ukrainian defence company Gurzuf Defence, which manufactures the Heavy Shot heavy multicopter. The drone can carry a payload of up to 30 kg and operate at ranges of up to 20 km with a return trip.
In March 2026, the Dutch Ministry of Defence ordered 1,400 Heavy Shot drones for Ukraine, which were subsequently delivered to the Ukrainian military. I first learned about this cooperation from Russian Telegram channels, which frequently express concern about the growing integration of Ukrainian and European defence technologies.
As many readers of my newsletter know, Ukraine has a “zoo of technologies,” especially when it comes to unmanned systems. Last year alone, more than 500 new drone models were approved for use in Ukraine. The lack of standardization creates challenges for Ukrainian pilots, who must learn to operate each system, while also complicating training and repairs.
The broader objective of NEXUS is to reduce the fragmentation created by Ukraine’s “zoo of drones,” in which military units often operate numerous systems with different control interfaces. Similar fragmentation also exists across Europe, with more than 700 defence producers.
The platform is not automatically compatible with every drone. Integration requires cooperation with the manufacturer, technical testing, and confirmation that the system meets the necessary requirements.
Intelic works directly with Ukrainian drone manufacturers to integrate and test their systems with NEXUS. Cooperation usually begins before a product is deployed operationally so that both sides can verify that the drone and the software function properly together.
Related to NEXUS is Intelic BASE, a catalogue or marketplace for drones where Intelic showcases unmanned technologies that are already integrated with its software. It currently serves the needs of the Dutch Armed Forces and includes manufacturers from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Portugal, Latvia, Luxembourg, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine. Ukraine is represented on the platform by TAF Industries and several other unnamed partners.
Intelic BASE is not a procurement or sales platform. Instead, it serves as a portfolio showcasing available systems. When a government or another customer is interested in purchasing a system, the Intelic BASE team can connect them directly with the manufacturer, but it does not participate in the transaction itself.
Although the platform primarily focuses on European companies, it is also open to manufacturers from other NATO countries. For instance, Canadian companies interested in accessing the European market could therefore potentially be included, particularly if their products can be integrated with the NEXUS software.
The company plans to use the €30 million in funding from the Dutch Ministry of Defence over a three-year period to develop and refine the software architecture needed to integrate unmanned aerial and ground systems into a single operational ecosystem.
The Netherlands is known for being particularly effective and for standing out among other NATO members in its adoption of defence innovation. This case perfectly illustrates how cooperation with Ukraine can inspire change at home.
Earlier, I wrote about the Lithuanian company also testing its defence innovation in Ukraine: Drone Testing in Ukraine: Experience of Lithuanian Granta Autonomy.
Where Drone Warfare in Ukraine Stands, and Where It Is Heading
Two Ukrainian experts—Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov, a military radio technology specialist and adviser to the President of Ukraine on the development of defence technologies, and Serg Marco, a marine, a sniper, and a senior sergeant of the drone company of the 59th brigade —recorded a webinar for Victory Drones discussing the latest drone-related developments in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Here is the summary of their conversation.
