Alpine Eagle’s C-UAS system, which uses machine learning, advanced sensors and computer vision to detect, classify and neutralise hostile drones, demonstrated its effectiveness in what the company described as “the most important operational theatre for autonomous technology and European security that exists today.” The company has been invited back for further collaboration and is planning deeper engagement with Ukraine in the longer term.
The technology is based on Sentinel, an air-to-air sensor and interceptor network with high levels of automation and data fusion, enabling a defensive swarm of airborne sensors and interceptors to be controlled by a single operator. Ukraine’s conflict environment, where Russia deploys hundreds of drones daily, provides rapid and actionable feedback on operational effectiveness, according to Alpine Eagle.
Jan-Hendrik Boelens, co-founder and CEO at Alpine Eagle, said: “Ukraine has a clear and pressing need for effective, scalable, and mobile C-UAS capabilities that can effectively integrate into their force structure. The war in Ukraine has driven so much of the development of drone technology, and any European UAS or C-UAS company needs to be able to demonstrate its product in Ukraine, because ultimately, Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security. Ukrainians deserve to live in a country that’s peaceful and secure, so being able to help them reach that goal is the single most important thing we could be doing right now.”
While operational security prevents disclosure of detailed plans, additional testing phases are already being prepared to expand data collection and support European security efforts. Ukraine remains a critical proving ground for autonomous defence technologies, offering insight into their capabilities in weeks rather than months.
The milestone follows a year in which Alpine Eagle secured €10.25 million in seed funding, worked with British and US armed forces under Project Vanaheim, and opened its first international office in the UK. Founded in 2023, the company is backed by investors including IQ Capital, General Catalyst and HCVC.
