The US-German company Auterion will supply tens of thousands of artificial intelligence-powered drone kits to Ukraine to help counter large-scale attacks by Russian UAVs.

Source: Financial Times

Details: Auterion CEO Lorenz Meier said the company will deliver 33,000 AI-powered "strike kits" to Ukraine by the end of the year under a new contract with the Pentagon.

The company’s software is already used in Ukrainian drones deployed in combat operations against Russia. However, this new commitment is, Meier said, "10 times in scale" in scale.

Quote from Meier: "So we’ve shipped thousands and we’re now shipping tens of thousands. It's unprecedented."

Details: Russia has recently intensified air strikes, frequently launching hundreds of Shahed kamikaze drones in a single attack. The frequency and scale of attacks have grown, with major cities increasingly under attack.

What are Auterion "strike kits"?

These "strike kits" are miniature Skynode computers running Auterion software, equipped with a camera and radio module. They turn manually operated drones into "AI-powered weapons systems" that cannot be jammed and are capable of tracking moving targets up to 1 kilometre away.

Meier explained that the deliveries are part of the US military aid package to Ukraine. The contract, worth around US$50 million, was signed directly with the Pentagon. It is not part of the "mega-deal" that President Zelenskyy mentioned last week following talks with Donald Trump.

However, Meier said his company is a "pioneer" in US-Ukraine cooperation on joint drone production.

Quote: "It’s basically acknowledging that the battle-hardening that has happened in Ukraine of drone products is relevant. That it’s a way to support Ukraine, but it’s also technology that . . . Nato countries want to get their hands on."

More details: Meier added that Auterion is not competing with Ukraine’s drone industry.

"They have a fantastic drone industry. What we want to contribute are things that they do not have already and that are more software-defined warfare-centric," he said.

Background: On 26 July, President Zelenskyy instructed the National Security and Defence Council to intensify efforts to attract external funding for drone production.

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