Photo: 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Koshovyi Otaman Ivan Sirko, Facebook “Soon, a metal ‘infantryman’ will be sitting in the trench,” said a Ukrainian commander codenamed Hasan. By coincidence, the majority of updates in this newsletter focus on ground drones, whose uses are expanding day by day—not just for medevac or minelaying, but also […]
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“Soon, a metal ‘infantryman’ will be sitting in the trench,” said a Ukrainian commander codenamed Hasan. By coincidence, the majority of updates in this newsletter focus on ground drones, whose uses are expanding day by day—not just for medevac or minelaying, but also for air defense. Emerging in response to growing logistical challenges and manpower shortages, these systems have recently achieved impressive results, including capturing Russian prisoners and saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.
In this edition:
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Ukraine’s AI-Powered Drones: Progress Underway, Challenges Remain
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Ground Drones in Ukraine: From Mine-Laying to Air Defense
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Russia’s Naval Vehicles: Is NATO Ready for Them?
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and 10+ other updates on drone warfare in Ukraine and Russia.
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Ukraine’s AI-Powered Drones: Progress Underway, Challenges Remain
Last week, it was announced that Ukraine’s ground drones can now automatically detect and destroy enemy drones. This became possible by integrating the AI-powered Predator turret onto TerMIT ground robots. “Ground robots already support the battlefield by transporting supplies, evacuating the wounded, and laying mines. Now, they gain a new function: neutralizing enemy drones,” said Ukraine’s Digital Transformation Minister Fedorov.
The AI turret autonomously detects and eliminates drones. Remote robot control reduces risks for Ukrainian soldiers. Read the large article about Ukraine’s very successful TerMIT ground drone here.
Earlier in June, Fedorov stated that Ukraine is moving toward fully remote UAV control and greater autonomy. The goal is for operators to control drones from anywhere in the country.
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In Ukraine, only specific AI elements are currently used—e.g., last-meter target guidance, which became standard in 2023.
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Drones can now fly the last few hundred meters to a target autonomously, particularly for ground targets. Experts emphasize this is more about advanced algorithms than full AI.
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Ukrainian company The Fourth Law developed the TFL-1 module, whose camera locks onto a target from 400 meters and guides the drone independently to impact. This technology is already in use on the front lines and now needs scaling.
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Ukraine is working on implementing autonomous targeting also for aerial threats like drones.
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AI-powered automatic turrets have been developed to intercept Shahed drones. Read more about them here.
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These turrets (mobile or stationary) use video cameras to lock onto targets and fire automatically; the human operator only gives the final shoot command.
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The AI determines where to aim, how to adjust the gun angle, and when to fire.
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Navigation is another key area of innovation due to the lack of GPS access in combat zones. The war in Ukraine has proven GPS unreliable on the front lines; drones now operate in GPS-denied environments.
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Alternative navigation systems are being used, enabling drones to reach targets with sub-meter accuracy even without satellite signals.
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AI allows drones to navigate by recognizing terrain visually and building digital space models to orient themselves and return.
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These visual navigation systems are powered by AI or algorithmic solutions, already in use by Ukrainian military engineers.
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No robot is fully autonomous—humans still oversee high-level decisions and define the mission objectives.
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While AI can handle navigation, target identification, and precision tasks, the mission is always assigned by a human.
In late July, it was announced that Ukraine will receive 33,000 AI-guided “strike kits” from the US-German company Auterion under a $50 million Pentagon contract, enabling the conversion of commercial drones into “computer-guided weapons,” – The Times reported. Each kit includes a mini-computer, camera, and radio, allowing drones to track moving targets, operate in swarms, and evade Russian jamming.
Ground Drones in Ukraine: From Mine-Laying to Air Defense
Last week, one of Ukraine’s most successful units, the K-2 Unmanned Systems Regiment, announced the formation of the world’s first battalion of unmanned ground complexes. Recently, operators from the K-2 Regiment evacuated four Ukrainian soldiers over four days using ground systems.
Severe logistics challenges were a major driver behind the rapid acceleration of ground drone development in Ukraine.
