Kyiv invests in AI to shield drone operators from frontline danger
Artificial intelligence (AI) will eventually allow drone operators to be completely removed from the battlefield, Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine on July 14.
He explained this necessity with a fact that Russian occupiers have formed a Rubicon unit - actively hunting down Ukrainian drone operators.
“Our goal is to ensure maximum remote control and eventually implement full autonomy," the minister said.
"That’s the next phase of warfare. The objective is to let an operator control a drone from anywhere in the country.”
Fedorov noted that complete autonomy will likely take years of development, but AI is already being widely used in military technologies.
“Right now, AI is actively used for decoding images, identifying targets, real-time stream analysis, and AI-based guidance is being used on FPV drones," he explained.
"We're launching a dedicated grant program in this area — this is the future of the battlefield. We must remove UAV operators from direct danger.”
On June 25, the Associated Press reported that Ukrainian forces recovering drone debris after a Russian attack discovered remnants of drones equipped with modern cameras, AI-based platforms, and special radio communications.
On July 6, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged international partners to invest more in Ukrainian tech and assist in domestic production.
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