Since 2023, the Brave1 Defense Technology Support Cluster has been actively developing the field of ground robotic systems that evacuate the wounded, transport cargo, and assist Ukrainian soldiers in combat operations.
Units using robots are already operating in the field, and in December 2024, the Charter Brigade conducted the first fully unmanned offensive operation, in which a robotic unit attacked Russian positions.
Smart Machines
How to increase the autonomy and functionality of robotic systems to minimize the risks to our military on the battlefield was discussed at the “Smart Machines” panel: How Autonomy and Robotics Transform Modern Warfare” at the Defense Tech Innovations Forum 2025.
The discussion was attended by representatives of the Security and Defense Forces, Ukrainian developers and international experts: Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Brigadier General Andriy Lebedenko, Deputy Minister of Defense Captain Valeriy Churkin, Co-Founder and CEO of Advanced Navigation Chris Shaw, Founder and CEO of Swarmer Sergiy Kuprienko, Deputy CEO of Kvertus Oleksiy Chernyuk, and Head of Defense and Security Studies at RAND Europe Jacob Parakilas.
The discussion was moderated by Daniel Runde, Senior Vice President and Board Member of UMAEF.
Andriy Lebedenko outlined the priority areas of work to improve the NRC. “We have an advantage over the Russians in the air in terms of UAVs. As for tactical operations on the ground, where the fiercest battles are fought and our soldiers have the hardest time, we still need to work on increasing the level of autonomy of robotic systems. To do this, we need navigation systems that work under the influence of electronic warfare, homing systems for autonomous destruction, the ability to work for a long time without recharging, and protection against UAV attacks,” he emphasized.
International cooperation
Deputy Defense Minister Valery Churkin elaborated on the specific needs of the international community.
“Ukraine has the best intellectual resources for creating modern defense technologies. Our task is to build a base that will help turn ideas into effective technological developments. We need financial and logistical support from our partners, including GPU clusters, 3D printers and machine tools. We are also studying the experience of DARPA and other similar projects to improve the efficiency of R&D and innovation,” Valery Churkin said.
Chris Shaw, co-founder and CEO of the Australian company Advanced Navigation, shared his impressions of cooperation with the Ukrainian defense industry: “I believe that the greatest Ukrainian innovation is not technology per se, but an ultra-fast product life cycle, where manufacturers are constantly improving their products based on information from the military. This is very different from cooperation with the defense sector in other countries. Ukrainian customers order updates from us every 3 months, while in America they buy technology for 10 years.
Swarms of drones and electronic warfare
The potential and challenges of specific technologies, such as swarms of drones and a unified electronic warfare system, were analyzed by representatives of Ukrainian development companies.
“Currently, there are no drone swarm solutions on the battlefield, where drones are combined into intelligent networks based on AI. The obstacles are the technical component and people’s fear of entrusting the trigger to a machine. To those who fear a “machine uprising,” I would say that we are not that close. Let’s win the war first,” emphasized Sergiy Kuprienko, founder and CEO of Swarmer.
“We have a “zoo” of electronic warfare devices that operate on different frequencies and are capable of jamming other people’s drones as well as our own. We need to build a unified ecosystem of situational awareness, electronic intelligence and electronic warfare managed from one center,” said Oleksiy Cherniuk, deputy CEO of Kvertus.
RAND Europe expert Jacob Parakilas pointed out that autonomy is not a state but a process – systems do not become autonomous overnight, but gradually.
The Defense Tech Innovations Forum 2025 has become a platform for discussing key issues in defense technology development. Brave1 will continue to hold similar events to develop partnerships, share experience and attract foreign investment in Ukrainian defense technologies.
