The Ukrainian drone firm said the new module, which can be adapted to a range of kamikaze drones to home in on the target by itself, meets NATO standards and will soon enter mass production.

June 27, 202

Drones across Ukraine might soon be able to home in on their targets automatically thanks to artificial intelligence (AI).

TAF Drones, a Ukrainian drone manufacturer, said on June 13 that its AI-enabled “last mile” module has been codified to meet NATO standards for military use and is soon ready for mass production.

As the company explained in its Facebook update, the module is developed to help drones fly towards their target automatically via onboard image recognition when communication is lost due to electronic warfare (EW) interference commonly deployed across the Ukrainian front.

“The automatic homing takes control when communication is lost and guides the drone to strike. Alone. Without you. No escape options for the enemy,” it said.

Using onboard AI, the module helps drones track stationary targets from up to 500 meters (546 yards) away, with a targeting accuracy of up to one meter.

The system can fix targets while the drone is flying at speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour (74 miles per hour), and includes smart trajectory correction as well as the ability to abort missions mid-flight.

For moving targets, it can track them from up to 150 meters (164 yards) away, maintaining lock at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour (37 miles per hour), even in wind conditions of up to 10 meters per second.

While the company said the module can be adapted to use on other first-person view (FPV) drones – presumably including those from other manufacturers – the pricing and when it will enter mass production remain unclear.

The company stated on its website that its drones are used by multiple Ukrainian brigades and listed Ukraine’s defense conglomerate, Ukroboronprom, as one of its clients.

While drones have dominated the battlefields in Ukraine, widespread EW interference has been deployed as a countermeasure by both Ukraine and Russia, prompting troops to find ways to bypass the issue.

One option was the use of fiber-optic drones, which are fully immune to EW measures but leave behind a trail of fiber-optic cables that can lead enemy troops to the operators’ locations.

AI-enabled drones are another solution. While the war in Ukraine has seen both Ukrainian and Russian troops experimenting with AI drones, the technology has matured in recent months.

Ukraine has reportedly trained AI for its “Operation Spiderweb,” which decimated Russia’s strategic bomber fleet deep inside the country via container-loaded FPV drones. Meanwhile, Russia has been reportedly deploying drones that rely on terrain matching against pre-loaded geographical images via AI in its long-range drones.

Recent Shahed drones downed in Ukraine also featured a minicomputer linked to an infrared camera, which suggests the use of AI-enabled terrain matching.

However, the latest module by TAF drones, with its proclaimed versatility and compatibility, means this advantage can be brought to a tactical level, where many more ordinary troops can launch kamikaze drones with significantly higher efficiency.

As the war in Ukraine turns into a war of attrition, efficiency might be the key to winning it.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/55315