AI-Powered 'drone swarms' officially enter the battlefield

Ukraine has deployed AI-powered drone swarms for a year, the first routine combat use of this technology. Developed by local company Swarmer, the software enables up to eight drones to autonomously coordinate, identifying and striking Russian targets. “You set the target and the drones do the rest,” said Swarmer’s CEO, Serhii Kupriienko. A Ukrainian officer reported over 100 missions targeting soldiers, equipment, and infrastructure, beginning with mine-laying operations.

In these missions, a reconnaissance drone maps routes, guiding two bomb-carrying drones that decide which unit strikes. Three-person teams—planner, operator, and navigator—control operations, down from nine without the software. “One pilot can work with many drones,” Kupriienko explained, reducing risks of Russian signal interference. However, Ukraine, which produced over 1.5 million drones last year, faces high costs and network overloads from excessive drone communication. Human approval is required for strikes, but risks of machines making lethal decisions persist.

Swarmer has tested swarms with 25 drones and plans trials with over 100. Other nations, including the U.S., which tested over 100 drones in 2016 showing “collective decision-making,” and China, France, Russia, and South Korea, are developing similar systems. The United Nations has highlighted concerns about autonomous weapons deciding human fates, calling for regulation.