Auterion, a US-based software company, will provide Ukraine with 33,000 AI-powered drone kits by the end of the year, CEO Lorenz Meier announced on 27/7.
Meier stated that some Ukrainian drones are already equipped with these kits for combat operations, but the new shipment represents a tenfold increase. "We've delivered thousands, and now we're talking tens of thousands," he said, emphasizing the unprecedented scale of the transfer.
Auterion's kit, comprising the Skynode mini-computer running the company's software, a camera, and radio communication equipment, can transform manually controlled drones into "AI-powered weapon systems." These systems are capable of resisting electronic interference and autonomously striking targets at a range of one kilometer.
Meier asserted that Auterion's software will mark a "new era in warfare," allowing swarms of autonomous drones to communicate with each other during attacks.
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A fiber-optic drone tested by Ukraine in Donetsk province in April. Photo: Kyiv Independent |
A fiber-optic drone tested by Ukraine in Donetsk province in April. Photo: Kyiv Independent
"What we're delivering is a significant leap from the technology currently used on the battlefield, enabling a transition to AI-driven swarm targeting and attacks," Meier explained.
However, Meier emphasized that humans will retain control over target selection. He also expressed hope for securing software sales agreements with other European countries.
The announcement followed Auterion's nearly $50 million contract with the Pentagon to supply these AI kits to Ukraine. This contract falls under Washington's security assistance package for Kyiv, according to Meier.
Since the conflict began in early 2022, Ukraine has become a testing ground for advanced military technologies. Kyiv is now considered a global drone hub, having established a substantial supply chain for drone components.
Affordable and easy to produce, yet capable of destroying military equipment worth millions of dollars, drones have become a key weapon in the Ukraine conflict, extensively employed by both sides.
On 26/7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directed the National Security and Defense Council to intensify efforts to secure foreign funding for drone production.
Pham Giang (Financial Times, Ukrainska Pravda)
