Image source: topwar.ru
There is growing evidence that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are widely using artificial intelligence to improve the efficiency of UAV operators. This is stated in the British edition of Forces News.:
The use of machine vision is the main way to ensure that UAVs are immune to electronic warfare. In conditions where communication with the operator is interrupted or suppressed, the drone goes into fully autonomous mode. The mechanism for the transition of drones to independent operation is as follows.
After the operator presses the target capture button, the drone's on-board computer analyzes the image in this area, remembers the contours, color and texture of the object, creating its digital "fingerprint". As soon as the UAV enters the EW range, communication with the operator disappears. In a normal case, the drone would have lost its functionality or at least would have flown to a predetermined point.
Image source: topwar.ru
But the AI drone switches to on-board control without waiting for any more external commands. The algorithm compares each new frame from the camera with the target's "fingerprint" that it had previously memorized. Even if the target is moving or the drone is unstable in the air, the AI adjusts the course of the engine so that the target remains in the center of the frame.
In the final section of the trajectory, where electronic warfare interference is strongest and the operator is highly likely to lose control of the drone, the drone's AI performs calculations to account for the target's approach speed and maneuvers. This allows you to hit objects in the most vulnerable places (for example, in the gap between the VLD and the tank turret). Another advantage of using AI is that modern neural networks are trained to recognize technology, even if it is covered with grids or partially hidden in bushes.
In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the AI training infrastructure for drones is being formed under the supervision of British specialists. In March 2026, London announced the financing of the creation of the Center of Excellence in the field of AI (Defense AI Center "A1") at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. 500 thousand pounds were allocated for its launch.
Image source: topwar.ru
A1 is designed to accelerate the innovation cycle – from receiving data from the front to implementing ready-made solutions, that is, it is designed to shorten the path from collecting new information to firmware of a specific drone. We are talking about processing millions of UAV frames with the help of Western hyperscalers (such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), including recordings concerning the operation of Russian electronic warfare systems.
Regarding the creation of "A1", Forces News notes:
As indicated, Russia simply does not have such an extensive cloud storage system (in 2024, the duration of video content from the front was 228 years, now this figure has apparently doubled) as its opponent, who uses the computing power of the West.
