**Ukraine Deploys AI-Powered “Mother Drone” in Major Breakthrough**
In a significant development, Ukraine has for the first time deployed an artificial intelligence-powered “mother drone” to the battlefield. This marks a major step forward in the country’s use of autonomous technology on the warfront.
According to Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, the drone system was developed by Ukraine’s defense tech cluster Brave1. The system can launch two AI-guided strike drones up to 300 kilometers behind enemy lines. These smaller drones are equipped with advanced navigation systems and can autonomously locate and hit high-value targets such as aircraft, air defense systems, and critical infrastructure.
What makes this technology even more impressive is that it doesn’t rely on GPS. Instead, the system uses visual-inertial navigation with cameras and LiDAR to guide the drones. The AI algorithm independently identifies and selects targets, making the entire process highly effective.
**Cost-Effective and Reusable**
The system, called SmartPilot, allows the carrier drone to return and be reused for missions within a 100-kilometer range. Each operation costs around $10,000, which is significantly cheaper than a conventional missile strike. This makes it an attractive option for Ukraine’s military, especially in light of their current financial constraints.
**Ukraine’s Technological Leap**
The deployment of the AI-powered mother drone comes as part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to ramp up domestic drone production. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently announced plans to scale up production of unmanned systems to meet maximum capacity. This includes long-range, ground-based, and fiber-optic drones that are resistant to electronic warfare.
Ukraine has been leveraging technological innovation to offset its disadvantages in manpower and firepower since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. The use of drones has become a central feature of both sides’ strategies in the war, with Ukraine relying heavily on this technology to gain an upper hand.
**A New Era in Warfare**
The deployment of the AI-powered mother drone marks a new era in warfare for Ukraine. As Fedorov noted, the country will continue investing in Ukrainian systems that “change the rules of the game in technological warfare.” This development is likely to have significant implications for the ongoing conflict and may even set a precedent for other countries to follow.
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