"The drone war is over": Ukraine says a new era of combat ai has begun

Ukraine is already shaping new rules of modern warfare, where the key weapon of the future is no longer the drone itself, but algorithms and artificial intelligence. This is stated in the opinion column by Vitalii Kiro, “The Drone War Is Over. The War of Algorithms Begins,” published by Ukranews.

According to the author, Russia’s full-scale invasion has turned Ukraine not merely into a testing ground for Western technologies, but into a real laboratory for military AI. Over three years of war, Ukrainian engineers and military units have accumulated a unique array of frontline data — millions of hours of FPV drone footage, night attacks, artillery operations, and combat in difficult battlefield conditions.

These materials are now being used to train artificial intelligence systems that help drones autonomously identify targets, bypass Russian electronic warfare systems, and quickly adapt to battlefield changes.

The column cites estimates showing that AI-assisted targeting can increase the effectiveness of FPV drones to 70–80%. At the same time, the main advantage of Ukrainian developers is the speed of adaptation. While traditional defense companies may spend years implementing new solutions, Ukrainian teams update algorithms within weeks.

Among the examples mentioned are the “Avengers” system, capable of recognizing enemy equipment within seconds, and the Griselda platform, designed for automated analysis of intercepted communications. According to Kiro, the full cycle — from signal interception to delivering intelligence into battlefield management systems — now takes around 30 seconds.

The article also highlights growing international interest in Ukraine’s defense-tech sector. Companies such as Palantir Technologies,