On August 10, 2026, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense unveiled Avengers Labs, a specialized environment that grants domestic defense companies access to a powerful platform for training artificial intelligence models destined for unmanned systems. The initiative leverages real‑world combat footage harvested from the national DELTA battle‑management system.
The platform was developed by the Center for Innovation and Development of Defense Technologies, the same unit that created and continues to evolve the DELTA system.
Dataset of 5 Million Frames and 70% Enemy Target Detection
At the core of Avengers Labs lies a unique annotated dataset comprising over five million combat frames. These frames are sourced directly from DELTA video streams and are continuously refreshed in real time. The training material covers all key enemy object categories: tanks, artillery, air‑defense systems, infantry, and aerial targets—including Shahed strike drones and reconnaissance UAVs.
- Processing volume: more than 100,000 drone video streams are analyzed each month.
- Detection effectiveness: the AI automatically recognizes 70% of all enemy targets in real time, functioning equally well day and night.
- Terminal guidance: after an operator locks onto a target, the drone can autonomously home‑in on the final leg of its trajectory.
- Full autonomy (Auto‑Targeting): the UAV can proceed to a designated grid square, identify threats, and execute its mission without any operator link—even when enemy electronic warfare is active.
Comparison of Traditional AI Development vs Avengers Labs
| Parameter / Stage | Independent Development by a Private Company | Using the Avengers Labs Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Data source | Limited polygon shoots, open‑source internet material | 5+ million real combat frames from the DELTA system |
| Annotation & tagging | Manual labeling by developers (months of work) | Pre‑annotated dataset with object classification |
| Resilience to EW | Dependence on manual control links | Preparation of autonomous models capable of operating without a communications link |
| Time to market | 12 to 18 months of development | Accelerated front‑line deployment by a factor of several |
How Developers Can Join Avengers Labs
The first Ukrainian defense contractors have already signed licensing agreements with the Ministry of Defense. Access for companies (including partners from allied nations) is regulated by Cabinet Resolution No. 310 of March 2026 and requires passing a strict vetting process:
- No ties to the aggressor state: verification of ultimate beneficiaries, owners, and management.
- No business in Russia/Belarus: the company must not operate or hold assets in the aggressor’s territory.
- Sanctions compliance: the company and its executives must not appear on international or Ukrainian sanctions lists.
- Jurisdictional control: activities are prohibited on temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.
Xpert Take
The launch of Avengers Labs and the opening of a five‑million‑frame combat dataset to private developers represent a foundational breakthrough for Ukraine’s Defense Technology ecosystem. Modern high‑tech warfare demands a rapid shift from manually piloted drones to fully autonomous agent‑based systems that can withstand enemy electronic warfare. By giving Ukrainian engineers unprecedented access to real‑world battle data, Avengers Labs accelerates the creation of AI‑driven UAVs that are both smarter and more resilient, potentially reshaping the balance of power on the battlefield.
